It is November and the homosexuals are getting chilly. Time to make a trip to H&M and stock up on scarves. All the scarves. The weather here in Montreal has played nice, so I’m really running behind in my late-fall/pre-winter fashion shopping. At least all the visitors that come to Montreal this time of year can enjoy temperate weather while taking in all the beautiful fall colours. So as the Gays and Lesbians saddle up their scarves and fashion boots, here are 12 things they can do in Montreal…

1. Hold hands with your boy/girlfriend, whilst taking a nice fall stroll through the multicoloured leaves in a Montreal park

Please follow this simple 5-Step program to achieve the perfect fall day. Step 1: find a boy/girlfriend. Step 2: Make sure they have hands. Step 3: Get two (or three?) pumpkin spice lattes. Step 4: Hold latte in one hand, hold your boy/girlfriend’s hand with the other. Step 5: Put one foot in front of the other in a park while drinking aforementioned lattes and slowly enter bliss.

Need park suggestions? Try Mount Royal Park, Canal Lachine, Parc Lafountain, or Old Montreal. (I know the last one is not a park, but it’s equally bliss-worthy.)

2. Check out one of the brand new restaurants in the Gay Village!

Over the summer a few pretty neat new restaurants popped up in Montreal’s Gay Village. So far, I’ve only had the opportunity to go to one of them- in the location where Mike’s used to be (where food would go to die) is a new place called Resto-Pub Saint André. Nothing fancy here, except a charming decor, friendly service, nice big TVs and a surprisingly gourmet menu. Unique burgers, sweet potato fries (or as I like to call them: Les Frites du Bourgeoisie), extensive salad menu and more. Check this place out, cheap eats and happy taste buds make for the gayest meal of your week.

3. Visit the Travel Gay Canada Conference, November 17-18

Are you in the travel industry? Do you want to open your horizons and business opportunities by learning about the LGBTQ travel industry? Well, this weekend in November will bring people from all over Canada who are ready to learn about gay and lesbian tourism. Sign up today if you’re interested!

4. Grab some people, gay or straight, and have a drink at Gotha Lounge

Cozy as can be, Gotha Lounge is the perfect place to just settle down, relax and grab a drink. Open every day at 4PM. No cliques here, just friendly patrons.

5. Make your triumphant return to KATAKOMBES!

Yes, you read that correctly, KATAKOMBES IS BACK! Located in the basement of 1450 Saint-Catherine East, Katacombes brings the best of leather, denim and fetish. I’m going to go dust off my chaps and dry clean my denim jacket because I’ll soon be found hanging by the pool table. Come for the free entry, stay for the leather and chest hair. Opens November 5.

6. Get Dragucated

Congratulations because you’ve been accepted into the Academy of Drag! Every Wednesday at 9PM, 5 students get selected and the Drag Queens of Mado not only transform them but teach them the drag basics! Do you have have what it takes to be a Queen?

7. Go to an Hors du Village Party

Every month there are a slew of gay and lesbian parties that happen outside the Gay Village. These parties usually start popping up around the middle of the month, so details are still scarce at this time. Major ones include Meow Mix, Tease, Pink28, Mec Plus Ultra, GayBash, Drama Queen and Faggity Ass Friday. Check out their Facebook pages to get updates on when and where these parties will take place! Mec Plus Ultra is always my favourite and it happens every two weeks at the Belmont.

8. Go to a fancy gala: Gala Phenicia 2011

Has it been at least six months since you got to wear your ball gown? Are you dying to break out that satin baby again? I know I am. So check out The Gala Phenicia, presented by TD and Telus, and hosted by the Gay Chamber of Commerce of Quebec. This will probably be the ultimate gay networking event of the year, filled with the best and brightest of Quebecois gays and lesbians. It will include a cocktail, a gourmet meal by Executive Chef Martin Paquet and a Quebec-themed spectacle. Check out the Facebook event for deals on how to get tickets and more information.

9. Get started on your Christmas shopping

I was walking through the mall the other day, and what did I hear? Christmas music. Not 2 days past Halloween and there’s already Christmas music. Justin Bieber’s sultry puppet voice rang into my ears with something about mistletoe and I was hooked. So why not get started on that Christmas shopping? In the year of the 1%, why don’t you support the local merchant economy by grabbing something handmade in Quebec? KA-VIE-ART in the Gay Village has tons of little nicknacks, arts, jewelry and such. They have these amazing little bowls that are made out of old vinyl records! Or check out Fait Ici, located on Notre-Dame, a “Modern General Store” that has a bit of everything and is fun to pick through and find some locally-made goods. Maple butter anyone?

10. Live out your big gay Broadway dreams

On November 12 at the landmark Rialto Theatre, go see a bilingual Broadway extravaganza that combines the best of Broadway in a single show: Simplement Broadway. I’m pretty sure this is a real life version of a Nyquil dream I once had. I can also imagine this being a fabulous place to meet cute theatre boys and their funny mothers. This is where Glee meets Montreal meets Spirit Fingers.

11. Seek out the best Apple Cider in Montreal

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to seek out the best Apple Cider in Montreal and then tweet me where it is. This means lots of exploring, lots of experimenting and lots of glasses of apple cider. I have a feeling this is the year of the Cider, and November is the perfect month to start this. Officially I gay-clare, November = Cider! I’ll send you one place to get your search started: Get a pint of Cider at Cafe Griffintown.

12. Enjoy a pastry and tea at De Farine et D’eau Fraiche

Nestled on the up-and-coming Rue Amherst in the Gay Village, this place is as quaint and adorable as a Youtube kitten video. They also have mini cakes.

The post 12 GAY & LESBIAN THINGS TO DO IN NOVEMBER appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

From massive to subtle, steel to concrete, defiant to downright wacky, Montreal has some pretty awesome Public Art. The majority of which was commissioned by the city of Montreal, but a few are private pieces given as gifts to the city. Some have become landmarks, where tourists gather to click picture after picture, while some have slowly become integrated with the surrounding space. Montreal has hundreds of public pieces, so I will only cover a few of the major pieces and some personal favourites.

Picnik Electronik under Man, Three Discs.

Parc Jean Drapeau is like a sculpture garden, with incredible pieces by international artists sprinkled throughout the cluster of islands. One of the most famous pieces of public art in Canada is Man,Three Discs located on the north shore of Ile Sainte-Helene. You might recognize it as the giant metal spider thingy that stands over the crowds that form during Piknik Elektronik. What these partiers might not realize is that they are standing under the most valuable piece of art in Canada, valued at 50 million dollars! Alexander Calder, one of the greatest sculptors of the 20th century, created it in 1967 for Expo 67. The abstract sculpture was a gift from the International Nickel Company, reflecting the World Fair’s theme “Man and His World”.

L'Arc by Michel de Broin

The most recent addition to the art of Parc Jean-Drapeau is L’Arc by Michel de Broin. Inaugurated on September 11^th, 2009 it was built in honor of Chilean president Salvador Allende who died in 1973. The sculpture is made to look like a tree growing up and curving right back down into the ground. This is to symbolize one’s desire to return to their roots. It is made out of ultra-high performance concrete, and sits in the Floralies Garden, on Ile Notre-Dame.

Michel de Broin has created numerous installations around Montreal. He’s actually responsible for creating two of my favourites, Revolutions and Entrelacement.

Revolutions by Michel de Broin

Revolutions was commissioned by the city of Montreal in 2003 and sits in Parc Maisonneuve-Cartier. This work is a giant aluminum staircase that curves and twists itself into an infinite loop. This piece is meant to express a unique part of Montreal’s identity: the curved staircases of the Plateau and Mile End! According to the artist, it also “takes us through an infinite cycle of revolutions, where, from one transformation to the next, all that rises comes down again.”

Entrelacement by Michel de Broin

Entrelacement by Michel de Broin is by far my favourite in Montreal. It’s unimposing and quirky and usually leaves people scratching their heads. Located along Canal Lachine, the bike path suddenly juts off and becomes a chaotic loop of asphalt. It was designed to “rupture the rationality of urban landscaping.” I think it’s just hilarious, as I was quite stumped by it when I first moved to Montreal.

Mural by Zilon

The Gay Village is another area of Montreal that has some cool installations. One of Montreal’s most famous graffiti artists is Zilon. He paints graffiti faces with a futuristic alien vibe. You can find Zilon faces keeping permanent watch over the Village on the corner of St. Catherine and Montcalm.

Aire Banque National

The space on Wolfe and St. Catherine in the Village hosts a new installation every edition of Aires Libres. This year is an installation called Aire Banque National that was created by Paprika Studios. Letters on poles seemingly say nonsense, but when viewed from a very specific angle, it all lines up and deliver a powerful message! Head on down and see if you can decode…

Les chuchoteuses by Rose Aimée Boulanger

Last but not least is the iconic “fat ladies talking statue”. A favourite of tourists that walk on Rue St. Paul, it has become a must to pose with this bronze sculpture, or recreate it on a near by bench. It’s actual name is Les chuchoteuses, created by Rose-Aimée Belanger. What people probably don’t know is that this is NOT a public piece of art, but belongs to the gallery Saint-Dizier, located directly across the street (24 Saint Paul West). Even more, these buxom bronze beauties are for sale! For a rumoured $75,000 and a forklift, you could takeLes chuchoteuses home today. But that really would be a crime, because they’ve become local celebrities!

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To celebrate a century of protecting vast regions of this nation’s wilderness so that we can go out there and hike, camp, swim, bird-watch and simply commune with nature, Parks Canada is enticing Canadians and non-Canadians alike with special activities and programs spanning the 42 national parks, 167 national historic sites and 4 national marine conservation areas. As a birthday bonus, on July 1, Canada Day, entry to all parks nationwide will be free.

Here in Montreal, it’s blissfully easy to find yourself in nature – it can be a short bike trip to the neighbourhood park or as far away as Forillon National Park in the Gaspé peninsula or La Mauricie National Park in the Laurentiens mountains. But the city itself presents plenty of great options…

For those for whom nature isn’t second nature, Parks Canada is giving help on how to, well, survive the wild. On June 17-18 at the Lachine Canal, city slickers can camp out among 100 tents (or bring your own) and stay overnight in the history site. Beforehand, brush up with tips on how to go camping. And while you’re at it, why not combine that with a night at the nearby Montreal Folk Festival? Later in the summer, on August 13, Montreal outdoor dance party creation Piknic Electronik sets up on the Canal Lachine too. And August 20-21, Fort Chamblay National Historic Site one-ups Parks Canada’s 100 years with its 300th birthday – activities for the whole family happen all weekend.

Sure, Parks Canada is all up on the Facebook and the Twitter, but perhaps their hippest and most creatively awesome endeavor is the National Parks Project, which sent 13 filmmakers and 39 musicians in teams into 13 national parks last year to explore how the presence of the parks affects our lives in general, even if we’ve never hiked a trail or hugged a tree at all.

Yes, if there’s anything Canadians have bragging rights to, it’s about how much we love the great outdoors. Now, time to get out there…

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(spicy salsa) Step lively into Sunday afternoon with hot new moves – no matter what your age or dance expertise (you’ll never know unless you try…and try and try again)- and show your salsa dancing stuff off at Bal du Dimanche, with dancer, choreographer and dance teacher Chantal Dauphinais and live band Grupo Habana Café, on May 8. Dance lesson starts at 2 p.m. and dancing goes until 4:30 p.m. at l’Espace culturel Georges-Émile-Lapalme at Place des Arts.

(museums for all) It’s not until the end of May, but Montreal Museums Day is worth the wait. Immerse yourself in all kinds of free-for-all culture, old, new and in-between, on Sunday, May 29. Now in its 25th year, Montreal Museums Day is organized by the Board of Montreal Museum Directors (BMMD) and it’s anything but dusty and drab. Not only do the doors of the Biodome, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the McCord Museum and many others fling wide open to all, but special activities, tours and presentations happen all day long. With 7 free shuttle buses to 32 locations, Museums Day is also a good way to discover more of the city – head off the beaten track to the Lachine Museum for guided tours of the history of beer brewing or portage over to the National Fur Trade Museum.

(hammin’ around) Michel Campeau’s The Little Piglet Lovers Project lets everyone, locals and tourists alike, take part in a Montreal institution, of sorts. For years, at restaurant Au Lutin Qui Bouffe (753 St-Grégoire), patrons had their pictures taken with the restaurant’s prize pig, feeding the little guy with a bottle, jokingly pulling on his curly tail, generally mugging for the camera as the pig stood by, a pro with the paparazzi. Campeau turns years of photographs by Jean-Paul Cuerrier into a film that explores not only the theatricality and ritual of posing with a pig but part of the popular history of photography. Presented by photo-focused Dazibao gallery, the film will be screened in a loop, with the artist in attendance, free admission, at Salle Fernand-Seguin at the Cinémathèque Québécoise, May 7 & 8, 1–6 p.m. While there, check out the Elektra Festival’s free video screenings on May 6.

(outdoor adventure) Get equipped, literally, for the long-awaited (for Montrealers anyway) summer at the Outdoor and Travel Festival, May 13-15 at Parc Jean-Drapeau. Outdoor companies and community organizations showcase the latest in camping, climbing, biking, kayaking and basically anything and everything related to the great outdoors, as the festival packs the park with activities running throughout the day. Hone your rock climbing skills, walk a slackline, watch outdoor adventure films – plus mini-workshops and other special activities – see demos of new equipment, learn how to tune up your bike, pick up a tips on becoming a pro bird watcher, nature photographer or outdoor chef extraordinaire…

(calm city centre) How does art inspire Montrealers to build active, creative communities? Artists and arts organizations, along with the Accès culture network, show us how with Cultural Mediation, running to the end of July, featuring action-oriented projects that bring artists and non-artists closer together, creating new experiences that illuminate the essential role of art and culture in our everyday lives, whether we’re aware of it or not. The new-art-packed Montreal Biennale does a similar thing in a different way all month at two locations: the Fondation Guido Molinari (3290 Ste-Catherine E.) and on all four floors of the old Ecole des Beaux-arts at 3450 St-Urbain (which has a $2 entry fee, but that’s almost free!). And, as it would seem that getting art into the public sphere is the It-Thing these days: multi-media artist-designers Mouna Andraos and Melissa Mongiat, invite everyone down to the Promenade des Artistes at Quartier des Spectacles, to take part in cooperative musical experience 21 Balançoires, to May 23.

Photo Credit: Parc Jean-Drapeau- © Andre Pichette; Au Lutin Qui Bouffe- © Le présent du passé Montréal

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Our street profile series has already visited Bleury, Parc, Maisonneuve, Saint-Paul, Saint-Zotique, Crescent, Greene Avenue, Sainte-Catherine, Amherst, Saint-Denis and Ontario, but back to the business of Bernard…

Bernard is an east-west street that connects tony, traditionally French Outremont with the more bohemian (though upwardly-mobile) neighbourhood of Mile End. On both sides of Parc Avenue, Bernard’s sidewalks have been widened to accommodate wanderers, window-shoppers, dog-walkers and strollers, as well as the slow traffic past three (count ‘em, three) of the city’s best ice-cream purveyors. There’s no better place to see and be seen in all of Montreal.

Let’s use Bilboquet, the westernmost of said ice-cream parlours, as our starting point on a leisurely walk down Bernard. Nine months out of the year, you’ll notice Bilboquet long before you reach the door, from the lineup around the block- that’s how popular they are. This most name-brand of Montreal creameries specializes in craaazy mishmash flavours, a bit like a Quebecois version of Ben and Jerry’s- Cacaophonie or Bric-a-brac, anyone?

If it’s a sunny spring day, the sheer numbers of brunchers on Bernard can barely be believed. My friends and I sometimes call it “brunch row”: Café Souvenir, Le Petit Italien and mighty upstart Brasserie Les Enfants Terribles are places to people-watch your hangover away on a sunny spring Sunday (at Les Enfants Terribles, the smart money’s on the classic, baked beans with a duck drumstick). The clean, modern look of their walls paneled with repurposed wood is a hit with the design-snobs, too.

Across the street is La Moulerie (motto: “Mussels, fries and fantasies”), another great place to hang out on the terrasse and flex your, well, mussels. Across from there is Theatre Outrement, a grande dame of an old dancehall palace- the kind of place where the floorboards can tell stories about the acts that have taken the stage over many years. I have personally been there to see Emmylou Harris, The Dears, Rufus and Martha Wainwright, and a Steve Earle show where the power went out and he did the whole show acoustic.

After breakfast, walk off your meal with a quick tour of Parc Outremont, a small but atmospheric tree-lined square where summer sees kids’ art activities and the occasional band. Stop fight though for a cup of artisanal icecream at Leo le Glacier, an upstart creamery across from the park that’s my favourite in the neighbourthood, though the lines are getting long!

You’ll soon cross Parc Avenue into Mile End, where on your left is the Nouveau Palais Bernard, a newly reopened classic diner run by a young luminary of the Montreal restaurant scene, Gita Seaton.

The hipster quotient soon gets stepped up by the one-two punch of Librairie Drawn and Quarterly, the bookstore flagship of D+Q, the world’s foremost publisher of serious graphic novels. They have an amazing schedule of authors events, too— like Chester Brown on May 14. Next door, Phonopolis is a great place to not only buy records, but also concert tickets in many of the happening venues in the ‘hood.

Finally, some shopping. L’Arterie is a collective of local designers and artists and a spot that also happens to have Montreal’s best collection of “vegetarian shoes”. And further down the block, custom silkscreeners Montrealite come up with Montreal-specific t-shirt designs that play like inside jokes (and perfect souvenirs).

Visite Assommoir Montréal – restaurant from Assommoir on Vimeo.

By this time, you should have spent a whole afternoon browsing, drinking and hanging out on Bernard. Maybe it’s time for another snack, followed by another drink? L’Assomoir is a happening bar/dining room that’s hopping on the weekends- their big communal table can seat you and 20 of your friends, or grab a barstool and make some new ones. Nearby Restaurant Thailande is a neighbourhood favourite for authentic thai food and pillow talk, as one side of the large dining room is devoted to traditional thai groundlevel tables where diners sit, cross-legged, propped up by pillows

Let’s wind this tour down, as all things should wind down, with a stiff drink. Walk into the Whisky Café, at the corner of Bernard and St. Laurent, and sample from over 150 scotch whiskeys, a vast wine and port list, and, for the truly deserving, a well-stocked humidor.

Guest Blogger: Melora Koepke

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With spring finally ours (thanks mother nature!), it means that Bixi is also becoming a daily activity of Montreal locals. Bixi is the public bike system phenomenon that has swept Montreal off their feet and onto the many (500!) kilometers of paths. I’ll show you my favourite ride starting in the Old Port and going right through Montreal’s Gay Village…

Starting at the corner of Rue De La Commune and Place Jacques Cartier, I grab my Bixi bike from the nearby station. An easy seat adjustment later and I’m having a leisurely ride along les Quays of the Old Port. After a quick spin around, I’m pedaling up Rue Berri while still remaining on the bike path. No scary cars! I dock my bike at Berri-UQAM metro and continue through the Gay Village on foot. Stopping in at the best ice cream in the Village: Le Bouche en Folie. This place has 35 flavours of soft-serve ice cream, and that’s before you start mixing and matching. You can’t Bixi and eat ice cream at the same time, so I go sit in one of the many parks that dot the village and enjoy the locals and sunshine.

Many creamy calories later, I take out my smartphone and open the Bixi station finder app. There are a few of these, but Bixou is my favorite. Locating a nearby station, It’s time for the cycle up the hill to Parc Lafountaine, located at the northernmost point of the Village. Getting there is a nice ride through the picturesque streets. Once at Parc Lafountaine, biking-while-people-watching is the perfect way to end the day. Don’t forget to return your bike every 45 minutes! A two-minute wait is worth avoiding those extra charges for going over the time limit.

If you don’t feel like riding up to Parc Lafountaine, another great route through the Village is the dedicated bike path along Rene-Levesque that will take you all the way to the Jacques Cartier Bridge and beyond!

BIXI BASICS:

• 45 minutes of free time, 2 minute wait time at a station. Average distance between stations is 400 meters. You can rent 2 bikes with one credit card.
• If you loose your number, just stick your credit card in again and another one will be given. You won’t be charged twice!
• If you plan on Bixing over an entire weekend, the 72 hour pass is a great deal!
• Any problems, call the help number posted on station. They’re very helpful and always get any problems fixed quickly.
• It’s against the law to ride a bike with headphones in.
• Obey all traffic laws, and be safe!

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Guest Blogger: Alex Dunphy

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Montreal has a vibrant and eccentric gay scene that rivals among the best on the planet. However it all had to start somewhere! 1869 to be exact! Apparently the first recorded gay establishment in North America was an apple and cake shop located on Craig Street (now Sainte-Antoine). Owned by Montrealer Moise Tellier, it was a popular place for men to have little “rendezvous”. [1]

A century later, Montreal’s underground gay scene is in full swing, centered around Dominion Square on Stanley and Drummond. The Dominion Square Tavern, which still operates today, is known to have once been Montreal’s premier gay bars. The original sign can still be seen in the back alley, where the patrons would enter. [2] How cool is that?! Since 2009, it has re-opened as a French style bistro and is great for a 5 a 7 cocktail with appetizers at their enormous bar. The “tavern” in the name stays though as a reminder that it will never forget its roots.

It was in the mid-70s that Jean Drapeau started a bid to “clean up” this area of town before the 1976 Olympics Games. He created the “Public Morality Committee” that is responsible to the raiding, closing and sometimes firebombing almost all the gay establishments in this area by 1980. The most serious happened in October 1977 where Truxx club was raided and over 144 men were arrested. Next to the 1970 October Crises, it was the single largest mass arrest in Quebec history. In true Quebecois style, 2,000 people showed up the next day to protest. [3] This is the moment where the gay rights movement in Montreal took off, and by December they had voted in Bill 88. Making Quebec the second society in the world to make discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation illegal!

I wasn’t born yet, however I can imagine that on those fun filled nights in the Dominion Square Tavern, hanky code was used. Now if you’re from the right demographic, during the right time you probably know a thing or two about hanky code. If you aren’t, you’re probably very confused. Hanky code is deeply rooted in gay history stemming primarily from London and New York City in the late 70’s. In a nutshell, hanky code is a hanky or bandana that is worn in either the left or right back pocket. Depending on the color or pattern of the hanky, it meant what kind of things you were into (types of men, what you were looking for, fetishes, etc.). In a time where it was not acceptable to be openly gay, its pretty interesting that an entire language was developed that if you knew the code you could seek out other gay men with similar interests.  If you’re still confused maybe the Canadian electro-grunge musician Peaches can explain better with her song “Hanky Code“.

Based on all of this, I thought it would be fun to throwback and create a “Hanky Code Guide to Montreal”, where I will match up a place in Montreal, with a popular and historical hanky code!

BLACK HANKY – INTO S&M: For all those interesting in the black hanky, sounds like your kind of place would be L’Aigle Noire on Sainte-Catherine. Full of all the leather and chainmail you could wish for, it’s definitely the place to get your kink on. Need supplies? Then the basement of Priape, located a few steps away, is discreet and full of costumes, trinkets and handcuffs to make any black hanky wearer extremely happy.

GREY FLANNEL HANKY – LEFT: OWNS A SUIT, RIGHT: LIKES MEN IN SUITS: Grey flannel means you love a nice crisp suit. Worn in the left pocket means you own and like wearing suits. So for the best and most luxurious suits in Montreal, the men’s department at Holt Renfrew has everything to make sure you’re dressed to the T from the finest world-renowned designers. If you wear this hanky on the right, it means you think nothing is sexier than a suave gentleman in a crisp ensemble.

TAN HANKY – LIKES SMOKING CIGARS: Like smoking cigars? A tan hanky means this. A night out at Whiskey Café where you can smoke these babies inside would be perfect! A friendly and relaxed lounge environment is the perfect place to enjoy its extensive array of fine Cuban cigars. Cigars and Whiskey go together like Sonny & Cher (common, they were meant for each other!) so enjoy both here for a night as smooth as their most expensive bottle from their collection of over 150!

WHITE HANKY – SAFE ONLY: If you’re wearing a white hanky, you’re into being safe only. A responsible hanky to wear, but doesn’t mean you can’t have fun! Keep it safe by simply holding hands with your gay-lover as you take a leisurely trip to a museum. The McCord Museum houses one of the most important historical collections in Canada. This year it’s celebrating 90 years with 90 of its most prized and important artifacts that will allow visitors to explore and discover the most fascinating part of Canadian history!

JOLLY ROGER BANDANA – CLOTHING FETISH: If I personally wore any kind of hanky, it would be this one. To satisfy my fetish for clothing I can think of no other place but Michel Brisson. With two locations (one in Old Montreal and one on Laurier) this is a store that knows style. Contemporary clothes, designer fits, with price tags to match – I simply can’t resist. When it comes to the Jolly Roget Bandana, Michel Brisson is the only man for me!

GINGHAM PATTERNED HANKY – LOVES THE URBAN OUTDOORS: There is no escape from the city, while still being in the city like the Botanical Gardens. One of the worlds largest, you are literally transported to another world. Over 22,000 (count em’!) different plants and species, and several different sections based on countries this is the place for those into the great outdoors. This park is so large that there are plenty of huge shrubs to sneak behind with your lover and…

Guest Blogger: Alex Dunphy

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THE DETAILS

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

L’Aigle Noire, 1315 Sainte-Catherine Street East, (514) 529-0040

Priape, 1311 Sainte-Catherine Street East, (514) 521-8451

McCord Museum, 690 Sherbrooke Street West, (514) 398-7100

Holt Renfrew, 1300 Sherbrooke Street West, (514) 842-5111

Michel Brisson, 340 Saint-Paul West, (514) 285–1012 / 1074 Laurier West, (514) 270-1012

Whiskey Café, 5800 St. Laurent Blvd, (515) 278-2646

Botanical Gardens, 4101 Sherbrooke East, (514) 872-1400

Photo Credit: Hanky Photo- Hanky Code, Michel Brisson- ©Marc Cramer

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After the hearty response to my Romantic Valentine’s Day post, I was delighted and relieved to see that I’m not the only lovesick fool left in the city. Not too long ago, my girlfriend Georgia and her boyfriend Louis got engaged (congratulations, you love birds!) – and, gosh, did he do it right, by creating a quality proposal that involved the following three ingredients:

1. Beautiful view or special ambience: Nothing gets a girl more than a full moon reflected on the water, a crackling fire, candles, starry night, rose petals and softly falling snow – not necessarily all at once, but if you can swing it, I say, “Go for it.” You get the picture. (The next full moon, FYI, is on April 17, then May 17. Or see this moon calendar for more dates.)
2. Romance (kitsch) factor: This one is a sensitive issue, as one girl’s “Oh, how sweet” is another girl’s “How tacky.” Know. Her. Well.
3. Element of surprise: Not always necessary, but can boost your romance factor exponentially if you can work it in successfully.

Combining Louis’ advice and my own extensive knowledge of all things romantic, here are my top three places in Montreal to ask for your lady’s hand in marriage – men, are you taking notes?

In Old Montreal: Okay TomKat did Paris and the Eiffel tower, a little predictable. Why not stir things up by coming to the Paris of North America? You’ll have all the cobblestones, candlelit restaurants with old stonewalls and horse-drawn carriages to last you for days. There are also two perfect boutique hotels nearby that have equally stunning views. Ask for one the balcony suites at Le Place D’Armes (pictured above), which has an awe-inspiring view of the water. By the way, they also have a steamy co-ed hammam.

Or why not go all out and book the penthouse (#510) at Hotel Nelligan. The atrium on the first floor also has these private little alcoves for prime canoodling. Let the concierge be your new best friend in working out the details. If you’re looking for a quiet little restaurant, I’d hit Club Chasse et Peche. It’s located in a quiet corner of Old Montreal, yes, on a cobblestone street. There’s no sign on the door, so it has a speakeasy kind of feel. And the dining room is dimly lit just so.

On Mount Royal: The lookout just in front of the chalet on Mount Royal might be a nice spot, perhaps, when she’s already taking a break on the steps. (Tip: she’ll be less suspecting on a weekday night and there’ll also be less people.) She might say something like “What a beautiful view” and you can reply “Not as beautiful as the future I see in your eyes.” Just call me Cyrano. Or for nature lovers, why not have a picnic by Beaver Lake on a sunny afternoon and, after she’s giddy on bubbly and you’re getting cosy on your cashmere blanket, spring out that little box.On the same day as Prince William and Kate: Granted, this is not a place. It’s an event. But the Loews Hotel Vogue has a package out over the day of the British couple’s wedding, April 28-30, 2011. And imagine that, what girl wouldn’t want to steal Kate Middleton’s thunder on the wedding of the century? The Loews Loves Love deal is set up to make you and your lady feel like royalty, as you “attend” the U.K. wedding (via your television, if this is getting confusing). When you arrive for your two-night stay, you’ll get wedding favours at check-in, a 6 a.m. wake-up call the morning of the wedding (11 a.m. in London), along with a traditional English breakfast and champagne. Cheers! Here’s an idea: how romantic would it be if that diamond solitaire arrived on a silver platter? You could turn to her after she’s stuffed her face with eggs Benedict and ask “Be my princess?” If she were not the type to put her finger down her throat, I’d say you have that one in the bag.

A

THE DETAILS

Place D’Armes, 55 Rue Saint-Jacques, (514) 842-1887

Hotel Nelligan, 106 rue St-Paul ouest, (514) 788-2040

Club Chasse Et Peche, 423 St Claude, (514) 861-1112

Loews Hotel Vogue, 1425 de la Montagne, (514) 285-5555

Photo Credit: Quays of the Old Port of Montreal- Marie-Reine Mattera; Place D’Armes- Gleb Gomberg

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The first episode of The Borgias, directed by Neil Jordan (The Crying Game, Interview with the Vampire), just premiered on Showtime, with Jeremy Irons playing the power-hungry paterfamilias, Rodrigo Borgia, and Montreal actor Arnaud as his son, Cesare Borgia.

Arnaud is already a recognizable face here in Montreal, having already appeared in several Quebec TV shows and Xavier Dolan’s Cannes-award-winning debut, J’ai tue ma mere. But certainly, The Borgias is his big break—the first episode is as gorgeous as a tapestry and as blue as The Sopranos, and that probably means it’ll be a hit. Showtime has been selling the series as a replacement for The Tudors, only with sexy Italians instead of pasty-faced Brits. But for Arnaud, The Borgias’ rollicking 2-hour debut full of sex, murder, and Papal intrigue makes perfect sense.

“It always bothers me when I read reviews that say Neil is ‘sexing up history’,” says Arnaud. “Sex and violence is totally a part of that story and I don’t think it’s (gratuitous). If you think about it, most of what we know about The Borgias comes from what their enemies said,” he continues. “And I think those [dark] impulses are closer in human nature than we like to think.”

Montreal hangouts

In Montreal, posters for The Borgias are everywhere, so much so that Arnaud says he’s now getting recognized even more than before, though he doesn’t think he resembles his version of Cesare Borgia: “They made my skin darker, and I’m wearing a long wig….which is fine with me. I’ve always wanted to be an actor, but not to be famous. I want to live my life.”

When he’s not in L.A., Arnaud haunts his Montreal hood, including some of the spots he name-checks below.

Shopping: I don’t really like shopping for clothes, but I do like one place, Les Étoffes on Saint-Laurent. It’s a really small boutique and I really like what they have for men- their clothes are classy, different and unique, and not too flashy. I don’t like to show off with my clothes. And it’s hard to find men’s clothes that are masculine, but not H & M.

Restaurant: Au Tarot has the best couscous ever! It’s really cheap and really huge and I usually have leftovers for three days. La Montée de lait, it’s so super busy all the time, I can’t think how it could become more busy. But it’s good!

Bars: I’m not really a club person, I prefer dive bars and neighbourhood spots. Waverly Bar that just opened in Mile End is good. I kind of love Buvette Chez Simone, but mostly on weekdays because it’s so busy.

Neighbourhoods: I like Mile End a lot, it’s near where I live. And I like St-Henri and Griffintown, I like up-and-coming neighbourhoods. I like Outremont for a walk- you can wander from Parc to the park.

Parks: If you want to go for a long walk or a hike, the Mountain is cool. I like small parks too, like Joyce park in Outremont. I used to go there a lot when I was a kid. When I was a child it seemed so huge, I thought there was a giant mountain and a forest in there. Then, when I went back as a grown-up, it’s just a small park, really. But very nice.

Guest Blogger: Melora Koepke

The post MEET A MONTREALER: FRANCOIS ARNAUD appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

In the summer, the centrally-located Mount Royal park is home to the Tam Tams, picnics, scenic views, leisurely walks and all sorts of way more strenuous athletics. In winter, as the video above demonstrates, the mountain stays extremely active. The fact that this amazing resource is only a couple short city blocks away from many Montrealers is one of the truly great selling points of the city. Mount Royal boasts a range of iconic features, like The Cross, which can be seen from all over the city, and St. Joseph’s Oratory, the spectacular basilica to whom Saint André Bessette is indelibly connected.

While we’re on the subject of Mount Royal, the National Film Board (NFB) has created an incredible, interactive and award-winning website that asks all fans of the mountain, Montrealers and visitors alike, to share memories of their time spent there…

In short, Holy Mountain (Sacrée Montagne) is an ever-evolving love letter to Mount Royal. It asks visitors to call 1-877-55-SOUVENIR and record a message about their memories of the mountain. These messages then become a part of the soundtrack that everyone who visits the website can hear when exploring the site. So, even if you’ve only visited Montreal briefly, you can become a permanent part of why Mount Royal will always be a special part of Montreal.

And, while the video above does show how special the mountain is in the winter, let’s face it- everything is nicer under the summer sun. We’ll make sure to make another video showing you why…

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