La belle province’s love affair with French cuisine is legendary. It has been rooted in tradition and technique for years. As early as three decades ago, mostly all restaurants in the city had French chefs at the helm serving classic French food. The arrival of Québécois chef Normand Laprise changed the game entirely. Laprise was instrumental in defining a cuisine that, although still rooted in French tradition, is very proper to Quebec. His insistence on working with Quebec producers and using their products to create a unique cuisine has been a role model for a whole generation of chefs.

Chefs in Montreal are not as anchored in the city’s culinary heritage as their colleagues are in the “old country”, perhaps for the simple fact that Montreal is a relatively young city with a relatively short culinary history. We happily embrace new ideas and count among our most-loved restaurants a few classic French ones that have been around for years, like Chez la mère Michel or L’Express, as well as more recent and inventive ones.

Today, many of Montreal’s most famous chefs are taking that classic French training and using it to create a new kind of cuisine, one that can only be defined as the new Montreal cuisine. Some of the most ubiquitous French dishes are being reinvented in ways that could never be conceived of in their place of birth. Boudin (blood sausage), for example, can be consumed in its most classic form in a few of the more conventional French establishments around town. But give boudin to brilliantly inventive award-winning Montreal chefs like Martin Juneau of Pastaga or the team at Les 400 Coups and they will transform it into an explosive croquette or a silky smooth, perfectly spiced tart, dishes that are as far removed from the original sausage-form as possible but that are rooted in it nonetheless.

Whether you’re craving a traditional coq au vin or something more contemporary, today’s Montreal French food scene caters to everyone’s individual idea of what French cuisine is, or must be.

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Montrealers love their thrift shops.  That is probably why you’ll find some in almost every neighbourhood of the city. Conveniently, three of our favourites ones are neighbhours, which makes for an easy vintage shop-hopping sessions on Saint-Laurent Boulevard.  Moreover, these boutiques have a unique way to play with retro stylings, making them an awful lot of fun to walk into, even when you’re not looking to actually buy anything.

FRIPERIE ST-LAURENT

I’m pretty sure every single Montrealer I know bought, at least once, something from those racks.  Famous for its second-hand leather jackets along and vintage hockey jerseys, the store also features an always-interesting selection of shoes and hats, usually in mint condition. 3976, boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC, H2W 1Y3 / 514-842-3893

KOKOKONUT & KITSCH & SWELL

These two fairly new sister-stores make for an unparalleled kitsch time-travel experience. Elvis impersonators and Betty Page worshippers will find the complete attire for their next church basement party. Don’t be shy, everybody loves a little zebra/leopard print dress! You’ll also find some unique pieces of furniture ( the type your great aunt threw away after the fifties), some tastefully cheesy records, big ol’ shiny jewelry and, possibly, the lost collection of vintage “adult” magazines your grandfather hid from you all these years.   3972 Boul. St-Laurent Montréal, H2W 1Y3 / 514-658-2928 & 3968 Boul. St-Laurent Montréal, H2W 1Y3 / 514-845-6789 kitschnswell.ca

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But you know what’s even more fun? Half-priced train tickets! That’s right people!

If you’re coming to Montreal for Osheaga Festival,  you might want to jump on this epic rock’n roll adventure opportunity immediately.

VIA Rail Canada is offering 50% discounts on the adult regular fare when you book a one-way or round trip to Montreal for travel completed between July 27 and August 5, 2010.

How awesome is that! I remind you that Osheaga is taking place from July 31  to August 1, so the train tickets even give you a few extra days to visit the city. For your enjoyment, here’s a little musical selection I made involving some of the many talented artists that will perform at this year’s festival. You may want to use these rhythms while packing, kicking back on the train or simply while booking your Via Rail tickets online right now.

Metric – Sick Muse

The Black Keys – Tighten

Pavement – Cut Your Hair

Stars – Your Ex-Lover is Dead

Snoop Dogg – Oh Sookie

K’Naan – America

Ra Ra Riot – Can You Tell

The Arcade Fire – Wake Up

Weezer – Buddy Holly

The Cat Empire – Days Like These

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The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) is hosting a contest giving US residents the chance to win an ultimate Canadian experience. The winner will choose from 5 Canadian adventures, one of which is focused on the urban experience and includes two nights in Montreal!

“Urban Fare: The energy rushes at you. Exciting. Diverse. Delicious. Chic. Nonstop. It’s woven into the tapestry of these two great cities: Toronto, “The City That Works” and Montréal, “la belle ville.” You see it in the culture and the arts. Taste it in the food. Explore it in the architecture. Catch it in the attitude. Purchase it in the endless, magnificent shopping. Then celebrate it deep into the night.”

To enter, visit the “Canada. See it now.” website and click on “Urban Fare.”

Bonne Chance!

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When you’re far from home, your mobile devise can be your best resource.

In the olden days, when one was lost, a reliable strategy for finding your bearings was to “ask for directions” from a local. I know, weird, right? These days we have mobile devises that sort of social inconvenience.

I’m being facetious. Montréalers are a friendly crew, and should you find yourself lost, they’ll be waiting to point you in the right direction.

Like all urban centers, Montréal has developers scrambling to win over mobile users with the most current and stylish app to revolutionize your lifestyle. In fact, when doing my research, I stumbled across over 100 apps with Montréal specific content in the iTunes store. But you don’t need that many.

Here are five Montréal-specific and five general travel apps to help you have a breezy getaway…

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MONTRÉAL SPECIFIC

MONTRÉAL ($1.99)- A simple name and a simple concept. This app is essentially a complete download-able street map. That way, when you are out and about (and lost), you won’t have to worry about roaming fees.

ÎLE SANS FIL (FREE)– Paying for wireless access is an antiquated concept. Thankfully in Montréal there is an organization that provides 150+ WiFi hotspots throughout the city. This app finds the hotspot near you. Create a free user account and roam away!

OLD MONTRÉAL ($2.99) – This is a lovely app for a lovely neighborhood. Old Montréal is a charming and historic district, and what better way to experience it than with an interactive walking tour guide. Tidbits of information about architecture, history and more!

BIXME ($0.99) – Montréal has a public bike system called Bixi. This is a great guide to help you find the nearest station or place to return your bike. Mark you favorite locations for easy retrieval.

STM MOBILE ($0.99) – Your best resource in navigating the public transit system of Montréal. Take advantage of up-to-date info, such as notifications on bus route alterations, which occur occasionally during festival.

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GENERAL TRAVEL APPS

FOURSQUARE (FREE)– Perhaps an obvious choice for the app-aficionado, but as more and more users add content, there are increasingly more tips to help you get the inside scoop. Unlock Montréal!

iTRANSLATE (FREE)– Most Montréalers speak both English and French, so there is a slim chance that you’ll actually need to use this. However, what most travelers don’t know is that locals LOVE hearing your cute accent when you speak in French. So bone up on some phrases and who knows what could happen!

YELP/AROUNDME/URBANSPOON (FREE)– Some would argue one over the other, but these are all great GPS-based apps that will lead you to a meal when you are on the go.

BUMP! GUIDE, MONTRÉAL ($2.99)– An app for the gays! Featuring hotels, restaurants, clubs and more, this is a great choice for those who want to filter through all that hetero-noise and get straight to the gay.

FLIGHT STATUS ($4.99) – Find out where your sweetie is in the sky, or how to get yourself to the airport. Includes airline information and info on delayed/cancelled flights.

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HONORABLE MENTIONS

FLASHLIGHT (FREE) – As a traveler, sometimes you need a bit of light. This is a great option.

AIR CANADA (FREE) – Track your flights. Check in. Book that last minute getaway to Montréal.

KOBO (FREE) – Read a book on a train. Or wherever, really.

FLIGHTCONTROL (FREE) – You’re flight is delayed. You need a game. Land planes for fun.

PACKING ($0.99) – Helps you manage the many details of travel. Complex equation will help you determine how many pairs of underwear to pack =

(# days + risk of layover)/chance of getting laid and not needing underwear

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