(food & fun) Find a kind of satisfaction in the slow advent of spring with fabulous, thoughtfully created food, beginning with a seasonal menu at the FoodLab at the SAT until April 12, and followed up on April 15 with a “Schnitzel & Riesling” food party, full of Germanic flavour and complemented afterwards by an electronic music soiree. And, of course, the famous maple syrup of Quebec is in abundant supply during sugaring-off season, with inspired menus at restaurants around the city, and a full-on sugar shack down at the Old Port at La Cabane. Or simply sink your teeth into one of the best steaks in Montreal.

(sports & laughs) Basketball, comedy and entertainment fuel the Harlem Globetrotters, putting on a show for the whole family at the Bell Centre on April 12 – and of course, the Bell Centre sees hockey season head into spring as the Canadiens play the Flyers on April 15 and face off against the Lightning on April 18. More comedy, of the non-sports-related variety, comes to Club Soda on April 17 at An Evening of Comedy for the Benefit of On Our Own, an organization that provides services and housing to vulnerable families, with Montreal funny people Joey Elias, Eman, Dan Bingham, Sebastien Bourgault and Jess Salomon.

(theatre & dance) Contemporary ballet meets the music of Elton John and plenty of sequins and bright lights and colours in Love Lies Bleeding, at Place des Arts, to April 14. Sinha Danse Company presents Sunya, a new work for four dancers and three musicians, inspired by Persian music, contemporary dance, and bringing different cultures together, part of the Danse Danse spring season, April 17-27 at Cinquième Salle. Danish dance-theatre troupe Granhøj Dans crafts dramatic theatre, comedic moments and sings plenty of Leonard Cohen’s songs in Dance Me to the End On/Off Love, to April 14 at Centaur Theatre, or entertain the kids with The Trial of Goldilocks, an updated fairy tale at Centaur Theatre on Saturday, April 13. And check out the experimental theatre of love u lovecraft [lab], inspired by the world of H.P. Lovecraft, April 16-20 at Bain St-Michel.

(fashion finds) Find out what many Montreal fashionistas already know at this year’s Braderie de Mode Quebecoise, a huge 50-80% off sale of samples and inventory surplus from local designers, April 11-14 at Marché Bonsecours in the Old Port – find unique clothing and accessories, talk to designers, and perhaps even meet some of the designers and people behind Montreal Fashion Week.

(art worlds) As part of the MMFA exhibition Peru: Kingdoms of the Sun and the Moon, see Peru on the big screen in documentary films from the TV5 series Amérikologie, playing on April 13 – free at the Maxwell Cummings Auditorium, and on April 17, attend an Afro-Peruvian percussion workshop with Kullak Viger Ross. Enter the labyrinthine fact-meets-fiction world of Laurent Grasso’s multi-room Uraniborg exhibition at the MACM, showing along with work by photographer Lynne Cohen and live performance conjured up by artist Tino Sehgal. Over at the Society for Art and Technology, see P3rception, surround-sound-and-image films shown in the Satosphere dome, to April 29. Hear more about the Thomas Demand exhibition at DHC/ART in a round-table discussion on April 17. And the Montreal Symphony Orchestra performs Beethoven’s Third Concerto, with pianist Till Fellner and Kent Nagano conduction on April 16-17.

(live music) Start the weekend with the psych-rock of The Black Angels at Le National on Friday night. Saturday, April 13 is a big night: choose from a massive show with Canadian rock-punk Billy Talent, Sum 41, Hollerado and Indian Handcrafts at the Bell Centre, the East-Coast folk-rock of Great Big Sea at Metropolis, Welsh alt-rock band The Joy Formidable plays Theatre Corona, the myriad musical styles of Montreal hip-hop collective Nomadic Massive at Club Soda, or great MTL indie-rock of The Besnard Lakes at Cabaret Du Mile End. On Sunday, listen to the live electro-pop of Rhye at Cabaret Mile End. Funnily enough, Monday night is also a big one, with Australian “metalcore” band Parkway Drive at Metropolis, and for those of us who like it loud, it’s a tough choice between Japan’s Acid Mothers Temple at Sala Rossa  vs. Pissed Jeans at Il Motore. On April 16, tune in to Stereo Total at Il Motore. And on April 18, get your folkoric-pagan-metal on at Paganfest America 2013 with Finland’s Ensiferum, The Faroe Islands’ Tyr and more beer-soaked mayhem at Metropolis on April 18. Meanwhile, Montreal’s Bran Van 3000 and Paul Cargnello headline a fundraiser for community organization Le Sac à Dos at Club Soda.

The post Things to Do in Montreal: April 12-18 appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

The MACM is always an accessible museum, but these days it’s even more interactive than usual thanks to two works by British-born, Berlin-based artist Tinho Segal. Creating a cross between theatre and visual art that somehow sidesteps art performance, Seghal builds entire sets in museums and hires “actors” to animate them in carefully choreographed situations.

Right now there are two of his pieces at the MACM: his iconic Kiss, from 2002, which involves a couple reinterpreting famous kisses drawn from the history of art in a tightly choreographed 8-minute loop; and This Situation, from 2007, a conversation piece that has the “agents” discuss philosophical issues between themselves and with the visitor, if you so choose. Passersby can influence the whole direction the performance takes awhile they are in the room. Now that’s power!

Right next door in the video room don’t miss 4 000 Disparos by Brazilian artist Jonathas de Andrade, for which he filmed male faces in Super 8 film as he travelled throughout Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Colombia, in a journey of territorial recognition of a Latin America he belongs to without feeling part of. French artist Laurent Grasso and Montreal artist Lynne Cohen round out the current exhibitions: With his trickster’s take on temporality and the making of history, Grasso’s show, titled, Uraniborg, presents neon signs, objects, videos and more that lead to the creation of what the artist calls a “false historical memory.”

Cohen, on the other hand, presents 40 of her interior landscapes – since the 1970s the artist has been capturing, unpopulated, often odd spaces constructed by humans, used by humans, but devoid of humans. The images are filled with the tension created by that emptiness and the occasional inexplicable aspects of the photographs. Photo: courtesy of Olga Korper Gallery, Toronto.

On April 5, make sure you catch the Friday Nocturne, the museum’s popular series from 5 to 9 pm every first Friday of the month, which this time features saxophonist Colin Stetson. Famous as a member of Bell Orchestre and a collaborator of Arcade Fire, Lou Reed and Feist, Stetson explores the limit of his instrument in his solo work, creating beautiful soundscapes that will transport you to wholly ethereal planes.

In May this bunch of exhibitions will make way for two new guys: the first solo exhibition in Canada of Brooklyn-based artist Eve Sussman and her collaborative team Rufus Corporation, for one. Generated by algorithm but influenced by the films of Andrei Tarkovsky, Jean-Luc Godard and Wim Wenders, Sussman’s filmic pieces offer a futuristic look at space and time, utopia and dystopia, fractured narration and torn landscapes from Russia and Central Asia. In the next room there’ll be Montreal artist Michel de Broin, whose playful multidisciplinary practice extends from photography to video to sculpture, and explores the notions of resistance, misappropriation and recycling with a cynical sense of humour.

THE DETAILS

Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, 185 Sainte-Catherine West, (514) 847-6226

Photo Credits- Tinho Segal Photo: ©Tate, Jonathas de Andrade Photo: courtesy of Olga Korper Gallery, Toronto

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LA VITRINE: La Vitrine is a detailed and up-to-date cultural calendar app for Montreal. Last minute offers with in-app ticket purchasing to shows, concerts, exhibitions, and other cultural activities.

NUIT BLANCHE A MONTREAL 2013: This is the official app for the 10th edition of Nuit blanche à Montréal. It’s an interactive guide to +170 activities in 3 districts and 1 pôle. The app has a futuristic “augmented reality” feature, and a very handy radar with social networking integration for optimal connectedness on Saturday, March 2, 2013!

ART SOUTERRAIN 2013: This app is the official guide to the maze of underground tunnels in Montreal that is transformed into a contemporary art gallery in March. There will be 130 art projects displayed in 7 km of underground spaces. The app includes social networking integration, multimedia elements, and practical info like maps, and calendars.

MONT-ROYAL APP: Remember when I said that everything has an App these days? Well that giant hill in the middle of Montreal has it’s very own app. It contains detailed maps and points of interests. CASINO DE MONTREAL: The magnificent Casino de Montreal has a gorgeous app that details all the events, slot machines, tables, Food and Bars. Must be 18+ to download.

DHC – ART MONTREAL: One of my favorite art galleries in Montreal that brings in some of the coolest and contemporary art from around the world has a beautiful app filled with events, podcasts, and an audio guide to their latest exhibit.

MONTREAL MUSEUMS: While many of the museums in Montreal have their very own stand-alone app, this app aggregates all the museums in Montreal into a single place so picking a place nearby or checking out exhibits all around the city is easy. It even includes special walking tours!

McCORD MUSEUM: A modern and a cutting-edge app for a museum filled with really old stuff. Montreal’s history is on full display here and with the app you can read about artifacts, watch videos, comment on items and exhibitions and create lists of your favorites.

URBAIN MTL MUSEUM: A very cool app by the McCord Museum in collaboration with Historia, allows you to take a historical walk through Montreal via a series of pins set into a map. Clicking on a pin brings up photos from that location but a very different era.

MONTREAL FINE ARTS MUSEUM: A 53 stop guide to their permanent European Art collections all set to music! Also available for $4.99 is an App to their latest exhibit, Peru: Kingdoms of the Sun and Moon.

CA MUZ MUSICAL CALENDAR: What’s playing tonight in Montreal? Check out Ca Muz with the most up-to-date live music events around the city. Filter by genre or flick through the week to find whatever suits your taste in Montreal’s eclectic music scene.

BIOSPHERE: Located on Ile Sainte-Hélène the Biosphere is an Environment Museum. The app is a bit scarce, but is a useful guide to the museum and the surround attractions in Park Jean Drapeau.

The post BEST MONTREAL CULTURE APPS 2013 appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

(catwalk crazy) The Festival of Fashion and Design struts into the weekend – see Pop Montreal-affiliated fashions around on McGill College’s outdoor stage, plus the latest from home-grown talents as well as Jean Paul Gaultier’s 2011-2012 Fall/Winter collection, accompanied by music from Montreal DJs and bands, including the highly entertaining pop-hip-hop of Lunice on August 6.

(film worlds) Montreal’s Fantastia Film Festival has kept cinema lovers busy all month with its non-mainstream offerings from around the world – the fest wraps up this weekend with Kim Jeong-hoon’s Petty Romance, Marek Polgar’s sci-fi Exit, and Fantastia’s big finale, the 1925 classic horror The Phantom of the Opera, coming to us not only in pristine 35mm but accompanied by a 30-piece orchestra performing an original score by Gabriel Thibaudeau, on August 6 and 7, 7:30 p.m., at Théâtre Maisonneuve at Place des Arts.

(sports and sunshine) Teams from many of the city’s best bars and restaurants have been getting ready for this Sunday’s 6th Annual SERVE, a beach volleyball tournament in Jeanne-Mance Park (corner Duluth), complete with beer, barbeque (including corn, aw yeah!) and plenty of bare skin (hey, it’s hot out there!). Plus, the tournament is some of the most fun you can have fundraising for sex education – a silent auction (so many good things!), purchases of food and drink, plus additional donations go to Montreal youth education and empowerment centre Head and Hands.

(pop in the park) International rock music festival Pop Montreal begins its 10th anniversary early with Pop LaFontaine, a two-day showcase of local music and film from Socalled on August 4 at 7:30 p.m., and Philémon Chante, United Steel Workers and Katie Moore on August 5 at 8 p.m., all at Parc Lafontaine’s Théâtre de Verdure.

(theatrical operatics) Independent theatre that’s a little out there but entertaining all the same: Vital Organs Opera, Did I Escape, I Wonder…, an opera based on the Medusa myth, featuring two singers and an array of instrumentalists and video projections, at Théâtre Ste-Catherine, August 4-6, plays alongside The Mysterious Case of the Flying Anarchist. Meanwhile, the Montreal Shakespeare Theatre Company stages the bloody and bawdy Titus Andronicus, at Monument-National’s Studio Hydro-Québec to August 13.

(art excursions) In town, the Musee d’art contemporain pulls a hundred major works from its extensive collection, providing a unique and unconventional overview of the last century of modern art in Quebec, Canada, the U.S. and overseas – work that is beautiful, shocking, immersive and thought-provoking – and absolutely worth a visit. Just out of town, in Val David in the Laurentian mountains, outdoor art exhibition Legacy: The International Symposium of In Situ Art – featuring the work of 10 international artists along three kilometres of forest trails, as well as music and talks with the artists – continues to September 5, with tours of the works and the land every weekend, at the Jardins du Précambrien.

(musical rides) The Dropkick Murphys start the weekend on a strong note on Friday, August 5 at Metropolis, while, an audience in what I’m thinking is an entirely separate demographic, screams in poptastic glee for the New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys at the Bell Center. On Saturday August 6, Joan of Arc plays Casa Del Popolo. Piknic Electronik continues to dominate sunny Sunday afternoons at Parc Jean-Drapeau. For something a little different, on August 9, L’Orchestre de la Francophonie and DJ Symphonique meet up to perform grooves inspired by Berlioz, at the SAT. On August 10, still rockin’ hard and fighting the good fight are Foo Fighters, with Doughboys and Fucked Up, at the Bell Center, while The Naked & Famous and Winter Gloves at La Sala Rossa, and nothing says August like something called The Summer Slaughter Tour… featuring The Black Dahlia Murder, Darkest Hour, Six Feet Under, well, you get the idea, at L’Olympia. And, rounding out the week on Thursday, August 11, none other than Britney Spears is back, at the Bell Center.

The post THINGS TO DO IN MONTREAL (AUGUST 4-11) appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

The JPG exhibit premieres here in Montreal and will subsequently travel to Dallas and then San Francisco. But why not come here during the summer, Montreal’s most seductive season? And why not see the made-in-Quebec exhibit in the city where it was born. There’s no other designer on the planet as creative, talented and provocative as Mr. Gaultier. A talented, homegrown team has put together the ultimate showcase of a most enchanting career – thus far. I know, I’m gushing.

Some key observations: The first novelty that guests encounter are the talking mannequins – which you just have to see to believe. Second, JPG’s illustrious portfolio spanning 35 years is not displayed chronologically but by theme, more specifically “boudoir, skin deep, punk cancan, urban jungle and metropolis”. Third, rooms are painted black, and as such lend a slightly eerie (in a good way), surreal ambience. A midsummer night’s dream, indeed.

In another unusual twist, Montreal will also welcome a massive parade in Gaultier’s honour on July 16, starting at the Museum and culminating at Quartier des Spectacles, where a JPG-fest will ensue. I heard that the honouree may show up to checkout the hoopla, but that hasn’t been confirmed as of yet.

I’d also like to add that, for those who want a bit of Gaultier to take home with them, there’s a catalog jam-packed with JPG photos, historical tidbits and celebrity anecdotes that’s available exclusively at the museum. More fashion-inclined shoppers can also pick up the classic mariner shirts at the MMFA gift shop or across the street at Holt Renfrew. So you’ll be able to have your stripes – and wear them too.

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THE DETAILS

The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk, June 17-October 2, 2011

Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, 1380 Sherbrooke Street West, (514) 285-2000

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Who among us doesn’t long for adventure, fortune and glory? When I first heard about the Indiana Jones archaeological museum exhibit debuting in Montreal, I realized we all relate to the epic quests of legendary truth-seeker Indiana Jones. Played by the ever-dashing Harrison Ford in movies released between 1981 and 2008, the earnest, brooding hero made archaeology sexy and ancient relics titillating.

I remember seeing Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in 1984, when I was an awkward, bespectacled kid. I remember the one-liners, the fedora, the triumphant theme song that made me sure that good would triumph over evil. Maybe things were simpler then, or maybe I was just young(er). But like our hero Indy, I believed that things would change.

With the franchise still going strong, there’s no better ambassador than Dr. Indiana Jones to make the science of archaeology exciting and relevant to a worldwide audience of all ages. As such, on April 28, the Montreal Science Centre hosts the world premiere of a major new interactive “museum experience”, Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology. (And who doesn’t love a glamourous world premiere?) Using state-of-the-art multimedia technology, the exhibit features a mind-blowing collection of ancient artifacts and Indiana Jones movie materials (like props, set designs and conceptual art). The show runs in Montreal through September 18 before hitting the road for stints across Canada, Europe and Asia.

Here’s how the exhibit goes down: You get a hand-held video companion guide to assist on your quest to solve various archaeological mysteries as you navigate through the 1,000 square-metre exhibit, from the Indy Trail to various archaeological zones and interactive adventures. Alongside your new BFF Indiana Jones, you’ll experience the real stories behind relics like the Holy Grail and decipher ancient scripts. You’ll learn how real-life archaeologists solve mysteries around the world from Peru to fictional places like Akator and Mayapore. You will be titillated!

Yet this exhibit is no fairy tale. If you’re wondering where the fact comes in, look no further than a little organization called the National Geographic Society, whose other traveling exhibitions have been seen by more than six million visitors. Along with the Penn Museum and the City of Montreal’s archaeology collection, they assembled actual artifacts and historical facts and figures for the show, whose other partners include Lucasfilms Ltd. and Montreal’s very own X3 Productions.

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THE DETAILS

Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology, April 28 to September 18, Montreal Science Centre, 333 de la Commune St. West, 1-888-558-4423

Guest Blogger Simona Rabinovitch is a Montreal native who lives Brooklyn, New York. She covers arts, culture, travel and entertainment-type stuff for the Huffington Post, Globe & Mail, ELLE Canada, Lonely Planet, Zink, DazedDigital and more.

Photos Credits: Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology- © Montreal Science Centre

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The MAC Boutique offers a choice of unusual gifts. Whether you are last minute shopping for house gift to give to a client, for your family or for friends, you will find unique pieces here.

Stocking stuffers are easy.

Eco-wallets, with fun covers are $16. There are also hard-to-resist wide-eyed poochy-pals ($9) that would be charming peeking out on holiday morn. Handy for all is the ‘anti-bouteille’ – a cute flat plastic ‘bottle’ – fillable, washable, and easy to carry. ($13)

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For the little people

You will like the cuddly gifts, including animals such as penguins ($ 8.95 – 22.95). A range of Nutcracker pieces attracted a group of admiring kids when I visited the shop.  And there is also a wide choice of games – both fun and educational.

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For the ladies.

Jewellery in the Boutique is fun and fabulous, not to mention fashionable. Created by Quebec jewellery designers, the creations range from elegant and simple to outrageous and outré. Beautiful lucite bracelets in different colours are a good choice for a fashionista ($26). Old 33’’ vinyl records that have been creatively recycled into handbags are artfully amusing ($80).  Tuxedo-scarves by Quebec designer Yves Jean Lacasse, under the ENVERS label, make a chic statement ($80)

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Neutral gifts

Neutral gifts are easy to find.  Picture-perfect calendars are lovely, as are the clocks ($67) encased in a plastic ball, vases created with colourful recycled paper strips, and key chains with never-lose brightly coloured ornaments.

Foodies will be charmed with any of the pieces from the Guzzini kitchen collection.  A fruit stand can be presented filled with apples – or tree ornaments.

And then there are

the cards. They are unusual and gorgeous, and make a lovely thank-you note as well as a stylish way to say ‘hello’, ‘good-bye’ or ‘Happy Holidays’.

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Insider’s secret

An added bonus, huge ‘snowballs’ – about 20’ high! – adorn the area around the Quartier des Spectacles, where the MAC is located.  Kids will love them – and so will you!  Photo op.

And as you stroll up the street to Second Cup (corner Ste-Catherine and Jeanne Mance streets – one minute away) to refresh your shopping mood, the go-to destination for running shoes for Montrealers in the know is the store GALAXY BLUE  and its neighbour EVE & ZOE (288 Ste. Catherine West; tel. 514-881-2111).  Converse, Keds, Adidas – not to mention top jean collections – are offered at the best prices in town. More good news?  Both are open every single day.

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DETAILS

Musée d’art contemporain Boutique
185 Ste. Catherine Street West
514-847-6904

Métro:  Place des Arts

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Special Holiday Hours

Monday 10 – 6 pm

Tuesday –Friday 10 – 9 pm

Saturday 10 – 8 pm

Sunday 12 – 6 pm

The post GIFT-GIVING MADE EASY AT THE MUSÉE D’ART CONTEMPORAIN appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

“Yours Truly, Montreal is a multimedia show using striking and evocative images to present the city’s history. It takes viewers to the heart of the action as they watch Montreal grow and earn its international reputation, from the birth of the island to the 21st century.”

One of the best ways to obtain a solid understanding of any destination is to learn a bit of local history. Montreal, considering its mélange of English and French lineage, has a unique evolution which has positioned the city as unparalleled in North America for creativity, open-mindedness and French flair.

The latest show at Pointe-à-Callière (Montreal Museum of Archeology and History), Yours Truly, Montreal, is an impressive video installation that literally screens over 17th century archeological ruins. With a 270° surround screen, the images are a visual feast that transport the viewer from pre-colonization to modern-day-Montreal. In 18 easy minutes, you can get a grasp of how Montreal was born. This is perfect for our contemporary twitter-esque attention spans.

Last week I headed down to the museum to check out Yours Truly, Montreal, and to chat with Anne-Élisabeth Thibault (Project Manager) about why this particular film is so special to the museum.

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DETAILS

Pointe-à-Callière, Montreal Museum of Archeology and History
350 Place Royale (Corner of de la Commune)
Old Montreal, (Quebec) H2Y 3Y5
Metro: Place-d’Armes
www.pacmusee.qc.ca

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Where to Stay: For a bit of luxury mixed with history, try the St. James Hotel. In the basement you can get a massage at “Le Spa,” which is nestled in the former Merchants’ Bank vault, and dates back to 1870.

Where to Eat: Maison Pierre du Calvet is the oldest historical house open for the public Montreal. The restaurant, Les Filles du Roy, serves local cuisine echoing culinary trends of early French settlers.

What Else to Do: If you have a passion for history, you might want to check out the Centre d’histoire de Montreal, as well as the McCord Museum of Canadian History.

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One of the greatest things about Montreal is the diversity in activities that one can do. For instance, this weekend you can go from a Zen poetry reading on Friday night to a monster truck rally on Saturday night. And then on Sunday you might find yourself getting a massage in a nineteen century cavern or studying the threads of Montreal’s most famous fashion designer.

Curious?

Check out what to do this weekend in Montreal.

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[exhibition] DENIS GAGNON SHOWS ALL – This weekend is your first opportunity to catch the highly anticipated exhibit of Montreal’s most celebrated fashion designer, the darling Denis Gagnon. The clothes on display testify to the designer’s ability to transform inert material, whether natural or industrial, into a particular garment. But we just like it ‘cause it’s pretty.

[film] FESTIVAL DU NEUVEAU CINEMA – After 38 years of stellar programming, the 2010 festival is guaranteed to be visually amazing, while offering fascinating stories from around the globe. There is a film that’s perfect for you.

[spa] Le SPA de HÔTEL Le ST-JAMES – Le Spa is located in the former vault of the Merchants Bank, dating back to the 1800s. The rustic stone walls, a vestige of the original fortifications of Montreal, have been preserved and transformed into a cozy, candlelit sanctuary of serenity. Lock me up forever, please.

[concert] THE BOOKS (w/ BLACK HEART PROCESSION) – The American folktronica duo  will be serenading Montreal on Saturday night. Their act typically incorporates samples of obscure sounds and speech. If you don’t understand, just assume they’re trying to seduce you.

[culinary] THE ETHICAL BUTCHER – Berlin Reed is the butcher, chef and writer behind The Ethical Butcher. His practice is driven by personal relationships with small local farmers, a deep love of food, respect for the animals we eat and the environment on which we depend. He’ll be holding a workshop at Dépanneur Le Pick Up. You get three courses!

[gay life] MEC PLUS ULTRA – Montreal’s most happening “out of village” monthly homo party promises debauchery on Saturday night. The theme this time through is “Backseat lover,” so be prepared to lose your virginity in the back of a Trans AM. Oh right, it’s way too late for that.

[sport] RAPTORS vs KNICKS – If you’re visiting this weekend from Toronto or New York City, consider it your civic duty to attend this basketball match and cheer on your team. And because Montreal doesn’t have an NBA team, the energy is going to be SUPER high. We’re stoked for some hoop action!

[testosterone fest] MONSTER SPECTACULAR -  You don’t have to wait for Halloween for the monsters to come out. If you enjoy a car-crushing, testosterone fuelled event, then you’ll love these big trucks destroying shit.

[art for the spirit] MONTREAL ZEN POETRY FESTIVAL BENEFIT – The official festival is next March, but on Friday night you can get a sample of Zen poetry, music and books, as well as some door prizes and drinks. And there is nothing better than a tipsy Buddhist.

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Photo Credit: Sébastien Roy

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There are certain venues that have become so familiar to locals, that we forget what is so great about them.  For me, the Château Dufresne Museum is undoubtely one such place.  As a Montreal child I was reguralry dragged to the Château for my school’s bi-annual “artsy day trip”.  As you’d imagine, at twelve years old, my interest for Art Deco was, well, let’s say overshadowed by other aesthetical issues.  Things have changed since, and so have my artistic sensibilities.  

Built during the first World War, this Beaux-Arts style building was originally the residence of brothers Oscar and Marius Dufresne.  Today, part of it is used as a museum space, showing different exhibitions throughout the year, while the upper floors offer a tour of the different salons, office cabinets , verandas and even an oriental smoking parlor.  Each room showcases a different style of elegance, revealing the broad taste range of the French bourgeoisie of the time. Like in most privy museums around the world, appreciating such artworks in their original setting has the distinct quality of making you feel like you’re actually travelling through time as opposed to browsing a window of luxurious antiques.  Pay special attention to the paintings on the ceilings, made by renowned artist Guido Nincheri.  Have a look at the video above to understand why Château Dufresne should be included on every deco lover’s travel list.

Musée du Château Dufresne
2929, avenue  Jeanne-d’Arc, Montréal, H1W 3W2
(514)259-9201_http://www.chateaudufresne.com

Close to: Botanical Garden, Olympic Stadium.

(514)259-9201_http://www.chateaudufresne.com

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