TERRASSE + HAPPY HOUR + PANORAMIC VIEWS

Altitude 737, Terrasse Place d’Armes, and Terrasse Nelligan: After a hardcore Canadian winter, Montreal’s favourite pastime is simply chillin’ outside with good friends and choice libations. If you’re new to the city, you may want to head first to Altitude 737 Restaurant Club Lounge atop the Place Ville Marie, which is that downtown skyscraper built in the shape of a cross. In good weather on Thursdays and Fridays, enjoy a cinq-à-sept drink (“happy hour” from 5pm to 7pm), 47 floors up in the air!  You’ll also discover a restaurant (open for lunch and dinner) and nightclub that offer panoramic views of the city, putting you at eye level with the peak of Mont Royal.

If you’re looking to hang out with the cool crowd, venture into Old Montreal to Terrasse Nelligan – the cherry on top of Hotel Nelligan.  Rub elbows with the city’s young professionals and take in the urban skyline around you. This posh patio closes at 11pm, so if you’re up (no pun intended) for a night-cap, walk over a few blocks and take the elevator at Suite 701 straight up to the Terrasse Place d’Armes at Hotel Place d’Armes, which is open till 3am, weather permitting. They’ve recently added a nice retractable awning, so don’t let the rain keep you away. Cocktail tip: I like the raspberry mojito.

TERRASSE + FREE OUTDOOR POOL + PAID BAR

La Terrasse Magnétic: Hotel de la Montagne’s La Terrasse Magnétic is a much more lively spot (read: pick-up joint) with enough good-looking people and hard bodies to make you feel like an outsider if you fit into neither category. There’s no change room or locker, so you’ll have to do your quick change in the washroom and keep your stuff by your side. Here, it’s BYOT (towel), or you can borrow one with a $10 deposit. The pool has a capacity of 57 and is open from 11:30am to 3am until Labour Day weekend (Sept. 4, 2011), and gets crazy busy whenever the sun is out. They only allow up to 203 people up there, so check the weather report in advance if you hope to nab a good spot. Admission is free but you have to order something at the bar or resto. And it’s 18 years or older only after 8pm. Best nights for happy hour are Wednesdays through Saturdays, but if it’s hot on a Monday, you can bet it’s a happy – and crowded – Monday.

TERRASSE + FIREWORKS + ENTERTAINMENT

Terrasse sur l’Auberge: People always ask me where’s the best spot to watch the fireworks. Personally, I like to go to Pont Jacques Cartier or La Ronde. I did recently go, however, to Terrasse sur l’Auberge to try their dinner-plus-fireworks special. This is a hidden gem that fills up very quickly so make sure to reserve ahead. Guests get a fixed menu, bar service and the opportunity to enjoy the fireworks with an unrestricted view – and all this while comfortably seated.

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THE DETAILS

Altitude 737 Restaurant Club Lounge, 4 Place Ville Marie, (514) 397-0737

Bar Soleil, 900 rue de la Gauchetière ouest, (514) 878-2332

Terrasse Magnétic, 1430 rue de la Montagne, (514) 288-5656

Terrasse Nelligan, 100 rue Saint-Paul ouest, (514) 788-4000

Terrasse Place d’Armes, 701 côte de la Place d’Armes, (514) 904-1201

Terrasse sur l’Auberge, 97 rue de la Commune East, (514) 876-0081

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Pub Le Sainte Elisabeth: Ask pretty much any seasoned Montreal drinker where their favourite outdoor drinking spot is and they’re likely to point you in the direction of this classy little joint near the Quartier des Spectacles—near, but not too near, if you get my drift. The bar describes itself as a “European-style pub”, by which they probably mean their locale is pretty, and classy, but you can still get your drink on. Their tree-lined terrace (pictured above) is a Montreal classic, with enough greenery to make you breath easy on those hot summer nights. The beer is especially cold too. 1412 Rue Sainte-Elisabeth, (514) 286-4302

La Croissanterie Figaro: When I was an undergrad, this place was called La Croissanterie, and it’s where I brought my west-coast parents to make them feel like they were in Paris. They changed the name about a decade ago; they still have croissants, it still feels like Paris, and it’s still the best place to hide away in leafy Eurobliss under scarlet parasols in the Mile End. It’s tucked away on the corner of Hutchison and Fairmount; that’s what makes it secret. 5200 Hutchison, (514) 278-6567

Casa Del Popolo: This happening café, bar and live-music venue is a famous outpost in the Mile End, however their back patio is somewhat secret, being in the back and all. All lit with twinkly string lights that make us feel like we’re in Italy or something, this patio is the best place to cool off from a packed show or just a packed DJ night, or just cool off. 4873 Saint-Laurent, (514) 284-3804

Le Dépanneur Café: Their backyard is more modest than some of these other well-established playas of Montreal’s terrasse set, but it’s cute and sweet and, well, pretty secret. This Bernard Street café is known for folk acts in the afternoons and delicious grilled cheeses. 206 Bernard West, (514) 271-9357

MYSTERY PATIO: This leafy lettuce-lined back porch is by far my favourite place in Montreal to sit in the open air right now. Long banquette tables are lined up under a canopy, lined by brimming boxes of greens, lettuces and chicories. They’re far ahead of the curve in terms of urban agriculture, these guys. Can you guess where this terrasse is?

Hint #1: You may get smells wafting over from Fred Morin’s smoker, or from the wormwood they have growing in the yard for basement batches of homemade absinthe…

Hint #2: Read this post about Restaurant Patios in Montreal…

If you think I’ve missed some great Secret Patios in Montreal, feel free to leave your suggestions in the comment section!

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Brasserie T! : Putting it all out there

Ever since Chef Normand Laprise (of Toqué! Fame) and Charles-Antoine Crete opened Brasserie T!, their more “accessible” version of the Montreal institution right smack in the middle of Festival Central, the brasserie’s patio has been the best seat in town for fireworks, festivals and all sorts of riotous summer activity. Not to mention the food, which is pretty awesome, too. But their new addition to the summer menu will soon be legendary: A seafood platter to end all seafood platters (or, as our waiter put it, not just your usual lobster-and-mussels sort of thing).

The platter odes of course include mussels and lobster (the latter a plump half-beast from the Magdalen Islands) as well as Gaspesian whelks in tomato and aioli, Matane shrimps, Oysters, a scallop Ceviche with basil and strawberries, and the piece de resistance: Rimouski sea-urchin in a delicate cream. Irresistible and original, this seafood platter raises the bar for summer food in the city. As a bonus, order Brasserie T!’s other summer special: a Guédille aux crevettes de Matane. A Guédille being a classic Quebecois sandwich in a hotdog bun, kind of like a lobster roll but with shrimps instead.

La Buvette Chez Simone A “buvette” is a French word for a casual drinking establishment, but this sweet spot is just as known for its wine-friendly small plates as for its bevvies: Fried zucchini flowers and charcuterie make for perfect summer-night nibbles, while the lights on Parc Avenue dance past.

F Bar Brasserie T’s neighbor in the heat of the action is run by Montreal’s premier Portugese chef, Carlos Ferreira, who also has a fancier joint on Peel St. F Bar, also opened last summer, specializes in bitoque, tacho casseroles and a mean beet salad.

Joe Beef: Deluxe kitchen garden

Chefs Dave McMillan and Fred Morin opened Joe Beef a few years ago, to instant accolades: the resto has been featured in the NY Times and Bon Appetit, which called it “cheeky and rambunctious”. And indeed, Joe Beef is usually party central for the downtown crowd, though the meat-centric menu stands up to even the most discerning diners. The owners recently launched an oyster bar to herald summer, but the real tribute to the steamy season is on their leafy back patio, which is a verdant respite from the bustle of Notre-Dame Street.

Not only is their roomy back space a green oasis, it’s also a totally productive salad garden: Fred Morin, who lovingly curates the collection of chicory, lettuce, microgreens, strawberries and other delicacies that make up his summer salad dishes, that grow alongside you as you bask in the backyard photosynthesis: The current trend is for urban agriculture, but as usual Joe Beef were ahead of the curve. Bonus extra: The smell of smoky meat wafting over from Morin’s legendary smoker, in pride-o-place in the backyard.

Hecho in Mexico brings a Cinco de Mayo-type vibe to their back terrasse off Wellington Street, with true-to-life specials straight from the cervejarias of the D.F (what Mexico City residents call Mexico City) including Tacos al Pastor (pork piled on soft tacos, topped with pineapple) and carnitas. They also make a mean margarita, and rim the glasses with Tagin (a Mexican premixed spice).

Tuck Shop expands their packed dining room for summer into a sweet back patio that doubles as a kitchen garden, with all the grown goodies spilling out from

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ON THE STAGE

If you like seeing groups of gay men performing on stage, then you’re in luck because Montreal can offer this not once, not twice, but almost too many times in April. On Sunday, April 17, the all-gay chorus Ganymède will be celebrating 20 years with a performance of Cherubini’s Requiem. On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, fresh from Spain is the world-famous Matinée Group that will be taking their legendary party to Club Parking on Saturday April 23. This will be the first time Matinée has ever been hosted in Canada! Dancing her way into Montreal for her debut will be gay icon Kylie Minogue. Along with her (most likely gay) dancers she’ll be blowing the roof off the Bell Center on Thursday, April 28th. Ticket prices have even been slashed so if you’re looking for cheaper tickets, Montreal is definitely the place to see her. The “K for Kylie” after-party is happening a few blocks away at Newtown on Crescent. Tickets are only $10 so worth it to keep to energy alive!

On April 12 at the Bell Center, Ricky Martin will be shaking his Latino stud muffin buns for scores of middle-aged mothers and their gay sons. Gay reaches a climax though when Lady GaGa rolls into town again with her Monster Ball tour on April 25. Montreal has always been close to Gaga’s heart because Just Dance went to #1 in Montreal first. One year before it topped the charts south of the border!

ON THE DANCEFLOOR

April will offer up many opportunities to get your daily cardio in on the floors of Montreal’s legendary club nights in and outside the village. Inside the village there are the weekly club routines: Stereo consistently brings top DJ’s, SKY complex on a Saturday for straight up dancing, and top it off with Drugstore on a Sunday. Outside the village there’s the regular dose of monthly parties. Mec Plus Ultra on April 16th, POMPe on April 21 and Faggity Ass Friday on April 29.

Bal en Blanc, the dance floor king (queen?), will be dominating April. For the entire Easter weekend, clubs around Montreal will be hosting Bal en Blanc associated events that are too countless to all name here. Check out the Montreal Buzz preview for Bal en Blanc here.

ON THE STREETS

With spring, comes walking, sitting, and playing outside for leisure. The temperature is climbing along with our desire for the outdoors. Thankfully the terraces are opening up, BIXI is rolling out for its third season, and the streets have some nice foliage blooming. Gays & Lesbians especially love to sit on Montreal’s famed terraces. Check out some early ones at Croissanterie Figaro (pictured above), and Les Folies! Sainte-Catherine street in the Gay Village doesn’t convert to a pedestrian walkway until late May, so until then explore some of the surrounding streets with plenty of little parks. On a Sunday morning, these parks are filled with gays and lesbians with their dogs. Seriously, there are more dogs than gays!

With Bixi making its triumphant return on April 15, a spring bike ride around the Village would be in order. Stations are located throughout the village, but the big ones are at Berri UQAM, Beaudry Metro and the Ontario–Panet intersection. Exploring the little streets of the Village, or jetting down the Rene-Levesque bike path to the Jacques-Cartier Bridge, this is just how spring should be…

Guest Blogger: Alex Dunphy

Photo Credit: MEC Plus Ultra- Julien De Repentigny

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A multimedia presentation shows Montreal’s daily life in the 18th century. At that time, the Governor’s Garden served as a private ‘market’, with vegetables, fruits and herbs supplying food for the household. Today the Jardin du Gouverneur has been restored, and is just behind the Château. Wander in, walk around. It’s free, and will take you back in time.

Set in a formal French style, the garden is divided into an orchard, kitchen (herbs and vegetables) and pleasure gardens. Its design reproduces the spirit of the private gardens of New France’s elite in the 18th century. Elegantly trimmed hedges frame a ‘cutting garden’, from which flowers can be cut for decoration – hence the ‘pleasure garden’. Veggies grow, clamber and climb in the well-tended kitchen garden, where ‘companion planting’means that certain plants are grown beside others in order to hinder insects and disease. For example, garlic next to roses repels aphids and aster flowers around asparagus discourages pests.

I love having lunch on the terrace overlooking this garden and listen to the fountain’s soft gurgle as the day drips away. Guided tours of the garden and workshop activities are available all summer-long.

Château Ramezay 280 Notre Dame East 514-861-3708 Free entry. Metro Champs des Mars Tuesdays – Sundays 10 – 4:30 pm Terrasse open Tuesday – Friday 12 – 3:00 pm www.chateauramezay.qc.ca

DON’T GO AWAY! Right beside the Château Ramezay, and off Place Jacques Cartier, is De La Dauversière Square, an amazing little park. Who is he you ask? This Jesuit (first name Jérôme) sponsored de Maisonneuve to establish a colony called Ville Marie which became – Montreal. Three hundred years or so ago, there was a wilderness to conquer. The formality of a French garden was seen, at the time, as a triumph over this rough country: order over disorder. Architect Philippe Nolet took these elements as inspiration when designing Timber Parterre, his installation in De La Dauversière Square. Using logs cut from the forest, and placing them upright in tight formations, he created curved ‘benches’. There is an ordered symmetry to the logs , which are carefully placed in curving formations amidst high wild grasses. People love to sit and relax as they munch their lunch, or simply rest. Nolet knows quite a bit about garden design. He worked on one of the Reford Gardens projects in Padua, Italy.  De La Dauversière Square. Notre Dame Street East beside Place Jacques Cartier

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