The mercury creeping up, patios rolling out and the shirts coming off means one thing: summer in Montreal’s Gay Village. The 2013 edition of Aires Libres will soon be underway once the famous Boules Roses are strung up above the pedestrian-only paradise of Sainte-Catherine street…

Aires Libres is one of the most unique and fun spots in Montréal every summer. It invites LGBT people and friends to enjoy a slice of our vibrant Gay Village all day and every night. There are some exciting things planned this year so here is a brief overview of what’s happening from May 13 to September 6, 2013.

Once again, Les Boules Roses are back. 200,000 pink resin balls will transform the Gay Village into a dreamscape. The balls come in three different sizes, in five hues, strung up in nine unique suspension patterns. .

All summer under the bubblegum canopy, the Gay Village will be buzzing with activity. From outdoor shopping festivals and a big open air art gallery called BoulevArt to some spectacular circus performances in Parc Emilie-Gamelin during MONTREAL COMPLÈTEMENT CIRQUE, there’s nowhere more wonderfully “à la Montreal” to be.

Aires Libres also includes many weekly activities running throughout the summer. Tuesdays at noon between Beaudry and Amherst, you’ll be able to to catch some live music from local musicians. Every Thursday at sunset is a screening of an LGBT movie in Parc de L’Espoir (Saint-Catherine & Panet), courtesy of Image+Nation. Saturday afternoons in Parc de l’Espoir there will be a “Fruixi” stand, which sells fresh and local produce. It’s a delicious and sustainable place to grab a quick snack!

We’ll be covering all the LGBT festivals in Montréal this summer, so check out QueerMTL on Twitter and Instagram to keep updated. A quick preview of what’s to come: Divers/Cité (July 30-August 4, 2013), Fierté Montreal Pride (August 12-18, 2013) and Montréal Fetish Weekend (August 29-September 2, 2013).

THE DETAILS

Aires Libres, May 13 to September 6, 2013

The post Aires Libres 2013 takes over the streets of Montreal’s Gay Village appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

The post Come live some magical Montreal Moments this spring and summer appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

Le Filet: Le Filet is on the pricier end of this list but it is also one of the best dining experiences Montreal has to offer with its edgy decor and refined, delicate food. Try the fluke with Japanese plum, wasabi and cucumber, a most delicate dish that you will not soon forget! Le Filet, 219 Mont-Royal Avenue West, (514) 360-6060

Park: Park is where you want to be if you are craving some of the best sushi in the city. The fish is as fresh as can be and chef Antonio Park’s knowledge, mastery and passion is a joy to watch. Take a seat at the bar and enjoy the show! Park, 378 Victoria Avenue, (514) 750-7534

Globe: Restaurant Globe’s raw bar has become legendary. Oysters, shrimp, lobster, crab and every seafood in season is piled high on a bed of crushed ice along the front end of the bar. This is definitely the place to be for the freshest catch of the day. And if you’re an oyster fan, then their Golden Thursdays and the 1$ East Coast oysters will become your favourite day of the week. Globe 3455 Saint-Laurent Boulevard, (514) 284-3823

 Le Garde-Manger: Le Garde-Manger is celebrity chef and Food Network star Chuck Hughes’ first restaurant.  Located in the heart of Old Montreal, it is THE place to see and be seen and the perfect spot for seafood lovers. If you’re a seafood lover, start with the famous bloody Caesar with fresh seafood, then move to the oversized seafood platter and end your dinner with the decadent lobster poutine. Garde Manger 408 Saint-François-Xavier 514-678-5044

Comptoir 21: If you fancy a comforting plate of good old fish and chips, Comptoir 21 is where you’ll find some of the best in town. The crispy batter, the juicy fish and the delicious golden fries will seduce every discernable palate. Comptoir 21, 21 St Viateur West, 514 507 3474 and  1117 Sainte-Catherine East, (514) 750-3473

The post Top 5 fish and seafood restaurants in Montreal appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

While pub crawls, green top hats and Irish (and temporarily Irish) eyes a-smiling abound in Montreal, the St-Patrick’s Day Parade is indisputably the focal point of the day – after all, it’s been a tradition every year since 1824. Settle in on the sidelines or walk along as the hundreds of parade floats, musicians, dancers, marching bands and revellers happily and loudly make their way down one of the city’s main thoroughfares, marking not only a day of celebration, but the importance of Irish cultural heritage in Montreal.

Montreal may be known as the biggest French-speaking city outside of France, but a quick glance at the city’s history shows a much more complex picture, especially when it comes to the hundreds of years that the Irish have been here. Find out more about Montreal’s Irish history at the Pointe-à-Callière archaeology and history museum’s multimedia exhibitions, and at the McCord Museum’s Points of View exhibition, as well as through their online tours as well.

Of course, given that this is Montreal, Sunday’s parade is necessarily preceded by Friday and Saturday night’s Irish-inspired partying. There’s sure to be a hint of green in most bars and clubs in the city, but Montreal’s Irish pubs are truly where the boozy, rainbow’s-end gold is found. Stop by Hurley’s on Crescent Street, the classic Irish go-to bar with plenty of dark corners and great beer on tap, and Winnie’s just up the street (where on Sunday morning there’s even an all you can eat brunch buffet and live music). McKibbin’s Irish Pub will be packed with proud folks with Irish last names and Irish-wannabe rowdies alike, as will The Old Dublin, known for its live music and whiskey, The Irish Embassy, Ye Olde Orchard and Mclean’s.

The post SAINT PATRICK’S DAY 2013 IN MONTREAL appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

Our Shop Hop guides are designed to help you scope out the most unique finds in town by suggesting easy-to-walk excursions through the city’s nicest neighbourhoods. Not only will you get a feel for Montreal as locals experience it, you’ll also come away with souvenirs that’ll remind you of your magical trip to la belle ville. After our hunt for designer clothing in Outremont and menswear in Old Montreal, we take a gander at some sleek designer furnishing stores in Little Burgundy.

Our journey starts admittedly a little east of Little Burgundy in Griffontown, on Peel between Wellington and Ottawa street, only because that’s where Celadon Collection lives. Among the tufted leather divans, wallpapers and mile-long cherry wood dining tables o this breathtaking showroom, you’ll find a plenitude of cool little items that are easy to pack. A kit of lacquered cream-coloured stationary boxes, for example, will make your desk look as worldly as Christopher Columbus – or how about a vide poche with a heraldic lion motif for a stately statement?

When you wander out, take Ottawa street westward to De la Montagne, turn right and walk to Notre-Dame. Notre-Dame, Little Burgundy’s main drag, has long been a destination of choice for interior decorators and stylish amateurs because it’s home to a huge concentration of antique stores, so make sure you keep some time to explore those too. What’s most interesting though are all the contemporary design boutiques that have popped up over the years. Ludovik is an invaluable resource for playful contemporary ware, including a vast collection of ceramics, cushions and dishware by Jonathan Adler, an exclusivity in Quebec.

Continuing westward, you’ll happen upon Beige, a sweet, tasteful store filled with silky soft bedding by the likes of Area Home and Dwell Studio, classy glass dishware and chic table linens worthy of Martha Stewart’s Maine home(s). Though generally classic, the tone here sometimes veers towards the contemporary, especially in the lighting department – and everything remains impeccably curated. Just across the street, at Léo Victor Design, the wares are distinctly avant-garde by comparison, trading in dramatic lines and unexpected forms. There’s a preponderance of pop colours in the seating – a specialty – and in the accessories, the focus is on stainless steel, which is the material of choice for wine racks, key holders, lanterns and filing trays – all cooler than cool.

Peckish? Choose between one of the city’s most acclaimed restaurants, Joe Beef, and its subsidiary Liverpool House, both kings on this block.  After three courses of meaty goodness, you’ll be ready to bask in other made-in-Montreal delights just a hop westward, for a grand finale of this Shop Hop at Fait Ici. In this store specialized in sustainably-produced Quebec products you’ll find everything for the home, but of a different sort: less design products and more edibles, including a gift section where you can get growing gifts – plants in pretty pots. Whatever your wants, it’s worth a stop!

THE DETAILS

Celadon Collection, 186 Peel St., (514) 932-3306

Ludovik, 1318 Notre-Dame West, (514) 678-6617

Beige, 2475 Notre-Dame West, (514) 989-8585

Léo Victor Design, 2480 Notre-Dame West, (514) 939-3888

Joe Beef, 2491 Notre-Dame West, (514) 935-6504

Fait Ici, 2519 Notre-Dame West, (514) 439-3888

The post SHOP HOP: INTERIOR DESIGN WARE IN LITTLE BURGUNDY appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

Montreal’s Gay Village is centered roughly between Berri-Uqam and Papineau metro, bordered by Sherbrooke Street on the northern edge, and René-Levesque on the south. Smack dab in the center on Saint-Catherine is Beaudry metro, easily identified by the rainbow bars above the main entrance. The best way to discover the Village is to explore the streets and meet the people. However if you need a little assistance, here are some notable Village hotspots…

Notable restaurants in the Gay Village include the highly-rated Mezcla, a “nuevo latino” restaurant that combines South American flavours with European style cooking. Mezcla has an extensive seafood menu, with private import wines from Latin America. Miyako Sushi is one of best Japanese restaurants in the area with good service and prices that won’t make you squirm. Other higher-end restaurants in the area include the amazing BYOB O’Thyme, mediterranean-style Ella Grill, and the open-kitchen Kitchenette.

If you’re looking for something a little more on the casual side try Quebec classic St-Hubert, the always tasty Resto Pub St. André, La Piazzetta, Mozza (BYOB) or village favorite Saloon (complete with cute waiters.) You can dine your way across the globe in the Gay Village, with some international cuisine like Couscoussiere d’Ali Baba, the Korean rice bar Be Bap (BYOB), and the insanely yummy NosThés Bistro which offers up great value Taiwanese with an impressive selection of exotic tea.

During the summer Montreal’s patios bloom to life. Restaurants with great open air seating include Bistro Florin graced by a large poplar tree, or Sky with huge pitchers of Sangria on the rooftop. One of the highest rated restaurants in Montreal on TripAdvisor (coming in at #8) is located a block east of the Gay Village called Le Grain de Sel. It has a neighbourhood vibe with some exquisite French cuisine. Want a sleazy one night stand with a burger? Five Guys Burgers on Saint Catherine is all the meat you’ll need.

Finding a fun, local watering hole in Montreal’s Gay Village is probably the easiest thing you’ll do all week. Every block has at least some sort of bar/lounge that will satisfy your thirst and preference. Starting with the always lovely Gotha Lounge, it’s intimate with a fireplace and a big beautiful bar. Try not to be deceived by initial appearances, Bar Relaxe on Sainte-Catherine is a solid place to grab a quick drink and chit chat with a friend. One of the hidden gems near the Gay Village is a little door and staircase right outside Berri-Uqam metro called l’Escalier. Escalier is filled with chill people, cheap beer, with nooks and chairs to get lost in.
Drinking with a purpose always feels more productive, so flipping through the extensive song list (and settling on any Celine Dion) at the Village karaoke bars Club Date and Cocktail will be an easily achievable goal. If you’re a man’s man looking for other men, Bar Le Stud and l’Aigle Noir cater to a slightly more beefy demographic. Grabbing a drink while taking in one of Mado’s famous Drag Shows is particularly popular with students on Tuesday nights, due to the cheaper cover. The deadliest cocktail list in the Village is at Saloon, I suggest trying the “Bangkok.” I’m sure there was no pun intended when the owners named it.

Generally the consensus among frequent nightlife patrons is the Gay Village has some of the best dancing in town. Big open floors, flashy light shows, and people who, you know, actually dance. Club Unity is big on Friday nights filled with a young college crowd grinding to Top 40, while Saturday brings a slightly more mature crowd and House music. Apollon sits inside a stunning building (a former post office) and is worth going any night between Thursday and Sunday. The crowd is mixed, the bartenders are shirtless, and the space is a fun place to explore. Especially the basement level called Katakombs. Complex Sky has several dance floors, a gentle crowd, and music that fluctuates in quality depending on the room you find yourself in.
Even after the regular clubs close, if you’re still itching to move, the Gay Village has two afterhours clubs you can hit. Stereo is renowned for its sound system and weekly lineup of world-class DJ’s, and Circus does its name honour after the clubs close. Don’t forget to grab breakfast on your way home at Chez Cora, L’Oeufrier or Resto du Village!

While wining, dining, and dancing is always a good time for a Friday night, it’s those Sunday afternoons in a coffee shop reminiscing about that wild night out that are often the most enjoyable. There are a bundle of cozy cafés for your latté sipping pleasure in the Gay Village. Autour d’un pain is the best-smelling café because it also doubles as a bakery.

There are the chain coffee shops like Starbucks, Second Cup, Java U, Tim Hortons and Presse Cafe, but why would you bother when you could support local small business by going to places like Le Pouce Gourmand, De Farine et d’Eau Fraiche, Pourquoi Pas, and 1000 grammes (formally known as Kilo). La Mie Matinale is filled with handsome men, sandwiches, coffee, treats, and pictures of singer/actress Dalida, so naturally it’s worth every minute and dollar spent there.

Starting with White Party Week (March 28-April 1) there will be lots happening in the Village during these busy few days. Also in March, ARTSIDA and the Edgy Women’s Festival will be taking place throughout Montreal. The real festivals begin in the summer though, when the Village transforms into a pedestrian boulevard with patios, performers, and people watching. Divers/Cité will take place July 30-August 4, followed by Fierté Montreal Pride, August 12-18. Fierté Montreal Pride week will see Community Day, Dyke March, and free concerts draw huge crowds to the Village. Check out some highlights from the full summer festival season in Montreal:

While not all festivals happen in the Gay Village, all of them are LGBT-friendly. All of January and into February, Montreal will be spending hours outdoors dancing at Igloofest, the coolest electronic music festival ever. Following in February is Montreal en Lumiere with Nuit Blanche, a celebration of culture in the Plateau, Old Port and Downtown. The summer season includes Jazz Fest, Just for Laughs, and Completement Cirque!

There are two primary shopping arteries in the Gay Village. Saint-Catherine that runs west-east and Amherst going north-south. Amherst is filled with many antique shops and stores that specialize in home decor like Cité Deco, Montréal Moderne, Spoutnik, and Second Chance. If you’re strolling down Saint-Catherine and hunting for something a little kinky, Priape and Fetish Armada are both high-quality stores with all the leather and rubber you could shake a stick at. For men’s clothing check out Evolution, Podium, Ernest, or the very cool Boutique Osez just off Saint-Catherine on Wolfe.
If you’re in the market for art, stop by the galleries in the area: Galerie Dentaire (yes, doubles as a dentist’s office), Galerie Hermine, Galerie Nowhere, and Zephyr. All can be found dotted along Amherst. Last but not least, if you’re looking to buy something for a little furry friend, Doggy Style on Amherst is stocked with bones and toys!

The post WHAT TO DO IN MONTREAL’S GAY VILLAGE IN 2013 appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

(New Year’s Eve) Welcome a brand-new year in true Montreal style: the Montreal Buzz Guide to New Year’s Eve in Montreal offers an array of ideas, from five-course meals to pub crawls, family-friendly outings in the Old Port to champagne-fuelled comedy shows, jazz clubs to multi-room parties, and all kinds of late-night dancing. New Year’s Eve in Montreal is a party no matter what your idea of a party is.

(festive food) Montreal has become a destination for feasting on gourmet comfort food, especially for meat eaters, from pork belly to tourtière. The SAT Foodlab throws an end-of-the-world, prix-fixe dinner, Souper Apocalyptique, on December 21. And then there’s the Christmas Day tradition, mostly among people who don’t celebrate Christmas but also among people who just want to eat a lot of good food, of going for a huge Chinese lunch or dinner: lots of duck, hot soup, fried seafood, dumplings and house specialties. Follow it up with sweetness: chocolates, truffles, freshly baked bread, croissants and more, all made in Montreal.

(last-minute shopping) Get one-of-a-kind gifts at the biggest craft and artisinal fair in Canada, Salon des métiers d’art, where over 400 Quebec artists and artisans set up booths full of professionally handmade clothing, toys, home decor, food and much more – at Place Bonaventure only until December 22. Our Holiday Gift Guide is also full of Montreal-made ideas and suggestions for stores to shop for everyone on your list. Of course, picking up a little something for yourself couldn’t hurt, right? Peruse the guides for fashion-forward women and men before hitting the shops.

(super-entertainment on stage) Let Cirque du Soleil’s Saltimbanco blow your mind with gasp-worthy acrobatics, genuinely funny clowning, and feats of strength and stamina, all in one bright, colourful, musical show. What makes this run super special is that it’s the last time Santimbanco – see it until December 30 at the Bell Centre. Also in circus happenings, Cirque Alphonse’s Timber! turns Montreal circus centre Tohu into in a Christmas-y forest populated by lumberjack acrobats, clowns and laughs, on until December 31. And the traditional, balletic holiday fare Les Grands Ballets’ The Nutcracker continues to December 30 at Place des Arts.

(outdoor fun) Even in winter, Montrealers spend time outdoors, burning off steam (and calories) with winter sports or just walking through the city – there’s plenty to see, and this time of year much of it is illuminated. On Saturday night at 8 p.m. and on New Year’s Eve at midnight, the Telus Fire on Ice fireworks explode over the picturesque Old Port, also home to a huge outdoor skating rink. Families will also want to check out Noël sur l’avenue along Mont Royal Avenue east of Mont Royal Park, and the further-east Olympic Park Winter Village, where from December 22-24 and again December 27-31, kids and adults alike can go ice skating and sledding, hang out with Rudolph and the other reindeer, sing Christmas songs and more – there are even fireworks on December 31.

(music nights) In the holiday tradition: hear the Notre-Dame Basilica organ in action on December 23-24 and 28-31 at 2 p.m., join the Arte Musica choral concert Let’s Sing Christmas! at the Montreal Fine Arts Museum on December 28-29, 2 p.m., and listen to choirs at the Montreal Botanic Gardens greenhouse on the afternoons of December 22-23. Less traditional: Party with the locals at the Third Annual Passovah Holiday Special on December 21 at Casa del Popolo, with bands, DJs and good, good people. The Objet Inusité International Summit on Audio Art is on at Eastern Bloc on December 21, with installations during the day and performances at 8 p.m., culminating December 22 with a bang at Sala Rossa with arty, fun music from Valleys, UN, Agor, Orkestar Kriminal ad DJ Matteo Grondini. On December 22, Indie Montréal throws a fab fundraiser Christmas Party at Divan Orange with David Martel , Ainsley McNeaney and Motel Raphaël. And fans of Alexisonfire either already have a ticket to their sold out shows or will be outside at Metropolis December 22 and 23 trying their luck getting one. And long-time UK punk band Snuff make it to Foufounes on December 30.

The post THINGS TO DO IN MONTREAL: DECEMBER 21-JANUARY 1 appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

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!

The post BEST OF 2012 MONTREAL BUZZ VIDEO appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

Maison Publique: Chef Derek Dammann announced on Twitter that he’d be taking reservations (he usually doesn’t) at his brand new Maison Publique for NYE only. But even when pressed, Dammann wouldn’t reveal the secrets of the special one-night-only menu. We can only hope it might contain something like the Dungeness Crab trifle (pictured above) that he’s been serving us at his place.

XO: XO in the Hotel St-James is one of Montreal’s top-rated restaurants. The refined atmosphere of their dining room is sure to rarify the occasion. This year’s menu features oysters, seared venison, a lobster and guinea fowl “surf and turf”, and a mushroom tart with chestnuts and white truffles from Alba, all washed down with a coupe of champagne, of course.

Aix Cuisine de Terroir: In one of Montreal’s most picturesque hotels, the Place d’Armes in Old Montreal, ACdT is trying something a little gimmicky and festive this year – a tasting menu themed on the roaring ‘20s and “prohibition” (which Montreal never had, which is why it was so much fun for us). A five-course tasting menu lets you choose from seared scallops and Jerusalem artichokes, duck breast with truffle-braised lentils, and several other decadent items.

Nora Gray: This new entry into the pantheon of Montreal’s best was just recognized by the country’s go-to list of new restaurants, in enRoute Magazine. What do Ryan Gray and Emma Cardarelli have up their sleeve for their first NYE menu? Only the lucky few who nab a table for the special night will know, the menu isn’t posted anywhere (it never is), though sometimes secrets leak through on Twitter.

Le Club Chasse et Pêche: This is one of the hardest-to-nab tables in the city on this special night, since the Chasse et PêcheNYE service has become legendary. The menu always “remains discreet”, in the words of the their front-of-house man, because it is based on hard-to-find ingredients that are subject to change at the last minute.

The post NEW YEAR’S EVE TABLES FOR TOASTING AND TASTING appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

A true born-and-bred Montreal phenomenon, electronic music festival Igloofest has changed thousands of people’s minds about spending hours outdoors in wintry January and February – now in it’s seventh year, the Igloofest party is bigger than ever, spanning four weekends in the picturesque Old Port…

Igloofest turns the Jacques-Cartier Quay into a dance-party zone starting Thursday, January 17 with an amazing, break-the-bank first night: none other than Sasha, yes, the Sasha of the trancy-techno, the blonky drumbeats, the space-echo vocals, shows us what he’s made of (a lot) on the main Sapporo stage. Not only that, but Wolf and Lamb return to deepen the groove. I am very there. The music continues on Friday night in collaboration with Mutek, Canada’s biggest electronic music festival – they’ve got Montreal’s Stephen Beaupré, Germany’s Mathias Kaden and Bulgaria’s KiNK on the program. January 19 brings in acclaimed American DJ Josh Wink and Canadian faves Paolo Rocco and DJ Sneak.

On January 24, Montreal purveyor of hipness, Urbania magazine presents a trio of awesome women producing some of the latest and greatest electronic beats around: Alicia Hush, Miss Kittin and Ellen Allien. January 25 gets it right again with Berlin-based duo Pan-Pot, not-to-be-missed Nina Kraviz (label-mate with Carl Craig and DJ Hell) and Pierre De Lux, and Saturday night gets heavily funky with Germany’s Schlachthofbronx, TNGHT, Tronald Trump and Kaytranada. Stay in town until the following weekend for much-talked about locals who’ve recently made it big A Tribe Called Red, British dubstep master Caspa, Berlin’s Magda, France’s Agoria, housey-experimental Audiofly, and more.

Igloofest’s final and fourth weekend sees Nightlife magazine bringing Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard to the party along with cutting-edge Ben UFO. On Friday, February 8, summer music festival Osheaga presents DJ Oneman adding melodic elements to hip hop beats and dubstep producer Joy Orbison, plus Canada’s The Gulf Stream. Saturday night ends the fest with huge techno-leaning sets from Germany’s Chris Liebing, Tommy Four Seven and Pulses.

Perhaps as a way for dancers to better keep up their stamina over the next few weekends, the Igloofest site has been redesigned this year, with more space to chill out and socialize, as well as a new “village of playful activities.” More flatscreens and LED displays fill the space along with the fest’s immersive, high-tech projections and light show. Igloofest’s secondary space, an indoor venue called the Virgin Mobile Igloo, isn’t a place to rest though – over 40 great local and up-and-coming DJs and VJs like Scott C, Mossa and Montreal new media studio Gridspace turn the Igloo into a sweaty, celebratory hive of dancing bodies throughout Igloofest. And besides simply dancing the night away, Igloofest veterans know how to dress: in bright colours, one-piece ski-suits and flashy toques, accompanied by a tall can of Sapporo and a general spirit of happiness.

A

 And, before January 5, 2013, absolutely make sure to enter to this AMAZING IGLOOFEST VIP CONTEST which includes travel, accommodations, VIP tickets to Igloofest and much more!

THE DETAILS

Igloofest at Jacques-Cartier Quay, January 17 to February 9, 2013

The post WARM UP AND GET DOWN OUTSIDE AT IGLOOFEST 2013 appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.