All posts tagged with: Montreal

Poutine with bacon, Montreal smoked meat, cheese curds and three-pepper sauce.

In Montreal, going for poutine is like going out for pizza. Everyone does it. It’s fast, filling and fun. It can be a complete meal, a quick snack on the go, or the thing you do after a late night out. Serving up hot and fresh poutine in the heart of Montreal is Poutineville.

The menu offers a selection of 11 specialty poutiness, or you can create your own original, just the way you like it.

If you choose to build your own, first choose the cut of potato, then add cheese, vegetables, meats and sauces. There’s regular and large sizes, depending on how hungry you are. Don’t panic, if you don’t speak French, the menu is available in English and the servers will help guide you through the process.

If poutine isn’t your style, there is also a selection of salads, burgers, sandwiches, sides and cocktails.

Poutineville is open for lunch, dinner and late-night. In the spring and summer the patio is open, perfect for people watching.

In the heart of old Montreal stands the Marguerite Bourgeoys Museum and Notre-Dame-De-Bon-Secours Chapel. For over 350 years, the heritage landmark has played a central role for Montreal.

Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys, who lived from 1620 – 1700, was the founder of the Notre-Dame-De-Bon-Secours Chapel and the Congregation of Notre-Dame. As an educator, she founded the first school in Montreal and became the first teacher in the city.

Today, the chapel and museum allows visitors and guests to take a step back in time to discover the life and accomplishments of Saint Marguerite. Her remains are buried on the left side of the chapel.

The original chapel, funded by Saint Marguerite began construction in 1655. It was completed in 1678, and would be destroyed by fire in 1754. The stone and mason chapel and museum that stand today was build in 1771. The building features beautiful plaster work, made-made stain-glassed windows and wonderful carvings.

The tour passes through the ruins of the original 1675 chapel, the 18^th-century stone crypt, and to the tower overlooking the St. Lawrence River, Old Montreal, and the city centre.

Over the years, archaeological digs have uncovered artifacts dating back over 2,000 years, when First Nations people settled the area. There are also still remains of the wood palisade that once protected Montreal.

The chapel and museum are open daily from early March through mid-January. During the Christmas season there are special events and concerts to celebrate the holidays.

One of the most notable and iconic buildings in Montreal is the Notre Dame Basilica. Located at 110 Notre-Dame Street, at the corner of Saint Sulpice Street in Old Montreal, the gothic revival cathedral is a must-see for any visitor to the city.

The exterior is beautiful masonry, statues, and towers. The interior is elegantly decorated with detailed woodcarvings and exquisite religious figures. The deep blue ceiling has golden stars. Rich azures, reds, purples, silver and gold colours add to the regal interior.

The giant stained glass windows depict scenes from the religious history of Montreal.

High above, at the rear of the sanctuary is a Casavant Freres pipe organ from 1891. It has four keyboards, 92 stops, 7,000 individual pipes and a pedal board.

Notable and high profile events to take place at Notre Dame in recent memory include the October 3, 2000 state funeral of Pierre Elliot Trudeau, the 15^th Prime Minster of Canada, and the December 17, 1994 wedding of Canadian singer, Celine Dion, to Rene Angelil.

Entry to Notre Dame Basilica is $5 per person. It is free to attend mass.

A special sound and light show detailing the history of the cathedral is held Tuesday through Thursday evenings. Tickets are $10 for adults.

A trip to Montreal isn’t complete without having poutine. Hot fries, covered with cheese curds, and smothered in gravy. It’s a French Canadian tradition. For over 40 years, La Banquise has been serving up the famous dish.

La Banquise originally started as an ice cream parlour. Local fireman, Pierre Barsalou took over the shop and turned it into a 24 hour snack shop, serving up hot dogs, fries and ice cream.

By the 1980’s the store embraced the French culture and offered two types of poutine; classic and Italian. Today, La Banquise offers more than 28 different varieties!

It’s a favourite late-night spot for the locals, who are looking for a greasy snack after the bar. There’s plenty of seating inside and on the outdoor patio. Menus are available in both English and French.

Montreal knows good food. And good food can easily be found at Anton & James, a New York style café located in the heart of Montreal.

The café restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They are best known for their fresh-made pizzas, made with fresh, quality ingredients, packed with flavor.

Indoor seating on the main and upper floors are long bars overlooking the streets. There is also an outdoor patio in the summer. Upstairs, you can also watch what’s happening in the kitchen below.

The staff is incredibly helpful, friendly and efficient. The service is fast, making Anton & James a great place for an on-the-go breakfast or quick lunch-date with a friend.

While the food is great, be forewarned, it’s not the cheapest place for a quick bite. Well worth giving it a try!

Anton & James is located at 1414, rue Stanley, near the corner of Ste-Catherine.

Witty, potty-mouth humour. That pretty much sums up Sherry Vine, who’s been busy hitting up the stages across North America this summer.

“I did drag for the first time as part of my thesis project while getting my MFA from USC,” Sherry said as she described how she first got into drag performing. “I started going out in LA in drag just for fun and that led to performing. I always thought Blanche was the part to play in Streetcar Named Desire!”

It’s not easy for a gay man to come out to friends or family. It can be just as hard to explain being a drag queen.

Sherry Vine performing at Mado in Montreal, Quebec.

“My parents are amazing and 100% unconditional,” Sherry exclaimed. “I am so lucky! I told them about starting drag and they literally said, ‘sounds fun!’. My dad sends me emails with song ideas for Sherry.”

While Sherry is proud of being able to make a living at doing what she loves, she has some great moments she looks back on as a drag queen.

“My theatre company’s first Broadway play, my own TV show She’s Living For This Now, and Lady Gaga tweeting my video parodies of her,” are highlights Sherry shared.

But it’s not all roses and sunshine in the life of a drag queen. There are plenty of challenges.

“There is a lot of animosity towards drag queens, even in the gay community,” Sherry said. “Guys don’t want to date a drag queen, which I have never understood.  I have been chased down the street, had bottles thrown at me, I get verbally abused almost nightly and taxi’s won’t stop for you. But you know what – fuck them!”

Sherry isn’t going to let the bad moment slow her down. She’s excited for the future and had a vision.

“She’s Living For This becomes a huge success and we run for 10 years!” is how Sherry describes the promising future ahead. “More video parodies of course, new original songs, movies, fame, sex, booze, etc.”

Sherry is as fun in-person, as she in on stage.

Speaking of parodies, Sherry promises she did not rip-off a recent Josh Rimer Gay’s Gone Wild video parody of Madonna’s hit, Girls Gone Wild.

“No! I would never rip someone else off,” Sherry quickly admitted. “So many people do parodies now and having the same idea happens actually all the time. The similarity ends wit the title. Gay Gone Wild from Girl Gone Wild is not  stretch and pretty obvious. I watched it and it’s funny.”

“Pray that none will be offended if I make the Christian religion an inn where all are received joyously, rather than a cottage where some few friends of the family are to be received.” – Richard Hooker

The proudly hung rainbow flag in the Christ Church Cathedral on St. Catherine’s Street in Montreal welcomes the LGBT community with solidarity. The Church is a community that celebrates diversity and strives for justice for all.

The neo-Gothic building, completed in 1859, was designed by British architect Frank Wills. The historic and opulently decorated Church is open daily and hosts’ regular church services. The cathedral is located at 635 West Ste. Catherine Street in Montreal.

Tucked away on St-Denis in Montreal is a chocolate-lovers delight. From fresh-baked, gooey chocolate-chunk brownies and rich hot chocolate, to traditional French crepes and velvety fondue, Juliet & Chocolat will make your taste-buds dance!

The founder, Juliet, started the business after an unsuccessful search for high-quality hot chocolate drove her to frustration. She was looking for the kind of hot chocolate her grandmother used to make.

Today, there are three locations in Montreal, St-Denis, St-Laurent and on the Plateau and Outremont.

Montreal is home to many beautiful buildings of historical significance. One of which is home to the Studio de Musique Ancienne de Montreal, an organization dedicated to performing musical works written prior to 1750.

Located at 2310 Rue Sainte-Catherine Est, near the Jacques-Cartier Bridge, the breathtaking stone and brick masonry building with its tarnished copper steeples is a sight into itself.

Inside, the professional vocal ensemble presents a series of concerts throughout the year. The Studio de Musique Ancienne plays an important role in preserving ancient music and offers a unique experience through it’s open environment.

Season and individual performance tickets are available online.

Montreal is such a beautiful city. The architecture of today’s modern glass and steel buildings blend well with the historic brick and stone buildings.

Click to see a larger image

A sports bar with cheap pub fare and beer. It’s called Station des Sports and it’s located in the Montreal’s gay village.

On game nights, this is the place to go in the village to watch the game with a group of friends. The atmosphere screams of Quebecois and Canadian sports memorabilia.

When it comes to pub fare, lower your expectations when you walk in. Their fries were cooked in oil which was too cold, leaving the fries greasy and under cooked. The gravy that comes free with fries was packaged and quickly turned to a gel-like consistency very quickly.

The chicken BLT sandwich was actually not too bad. It was not soggy and did not fall apart, although the chicken was a bit too salty.

The side of coleslaw was less than appetizing, as was the translucent pickle served as a garnish.

In Quebec, establishments are required to pour using a measured ounce dispenser, so at least you are guaranteed an honest pour for a mixed drink. Domestic beer starts are $3 per bottle.

Station Des Sports has five locations throughout Quebec.

Nothing says French Canadian casual fare than poutine and Montreal smoked meat. Myer Dunn founded the “Dunn’s Famous” back in 1927, which as grown into a national smoked meat empire. The very first Western Canadian location recently opened in Vancouver and is now serving up their traditional favourites.

Dunn’s smoked meat starts off with a beef brisket that has been smoked for 17 hours and then steamed for 3 hours before serving. It’s served on light rye sourdough bread, hand sliced with special brine.

There are also six different poutine options on the menu. For those who have never had poutine, it’s French fries, topped with cheese curds and then covered with gravy. There are also other Western Canadian influences on the menu including a motzoh ball soup.

Dunn’s Famous Restaurant is open 7 days per week, from 10:00am until midnight, and 1:00am on weekends.

Comfort, style and quality – the three key components that went into the Tartan collection by Montreal based men’s underwear designer, Pump Underwear.

Made from 96% cotton and 4% spandex, these underwear are both soft and form-fitting. The checkered print pattern colours are fade-resistant, which is great because the Tartan collection are double-stitched and will last a long time.

The Tartan series features the classic 1.5” metallic waistband. The 1” high PUMP! logo splashed across the front is easily visible when wearing a pair of low-rise jeans, and the smaller ½” logo on the back left may peak out when you bend over provocatively.

The pouch is built for a natural fit and is accented on either side with reinforced white piping. Each leg has a white double-stitch cuff, keeping everything in position.

The Tartan collection are available in both trunk and brief style and are a staple for any underwear collection.

Original Style / Design: ★★★

Material / Workmanship: ★★★★★

Makes a Statement: ★★★★

Overall: ★★★★

The 2012 Major League Soccer season got off to a great start for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC as they defeated their rivals, the Montreal Impact, on the Bell Pitch at BC Place Stadium on Saturday, March 10, 2012.

Joe Cannon, goalkeeper for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC defended the net as the Whitecaps won with a 2-0 victory.

Season tickets for the Whitecaps home games are still available and start from $329 for the 17 game package.  Single match tickets start at $20.

The designers at Pump! Underwear from Montreal are at it again – delivering fresh new ideas and style just in time for the Christmas holidays. Their latest design, Fresh is a premium white cotton boxer splashed with bold colours.

The paint-splashes of lime green, yellow, magenta, and cyan are made from thin faux-vinyl. The heavy-gauge cotton trunks have bright blue contoured piping complimented with aqua blue stitched sides.

The 1.25” waistband features the signature beveled PUMP! logo across the front in bold black lettering, and a smaller version of the logo on the back left side of the waistband.

The extremely comfortable fitting underwear are ideal for both weekend and evening wear. A word of advice – be careful pulling down your pants when wearing these underwear, the vinyl paint splatter sometimes sticks to your pants – not that anyone’s complaining if they both come off at once!

A black version is also available in the same style called Midnight Flash.

Save 20%: Regularly priced at $32 CDN, the Fresh collection is on sale now for $25.60 CDN until December 31, 2011 at Priape stores or buy online.

Contest:

This week myWebbSite.ca is exclusively giving away a pair of Fresh Pump! Underwear. To enter this contest, leave a comment on this blog post (valid for one entry), or tweet (also valid for one entry):

I hope to win a pair of the new Fresh @PumpUnderwear from @br_webb. #PumpUndiesContest http://ow.ly/7Xr4R RT to enter.

Contest closes at 5:00pm PST, Friday, December 16, 2011. One random drawn winner will be announced on this blog post on or before Monday, December 19, 2011.

Read the complete contest rules.

- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

This contest is now closed.

Congratulations to @Skyriven you are the winner of a pair of the new Fresh underwear by @PumpUnderwear.

Thank you to everyone who entered. Please keep watching for more contests coming soon.

The world of underwear just got more fun and exciting with the recent release of Jack of Pump, by Montreal underwear designers Pump!  The Jack of Pump is a modern take on a classic design, cleverly incorporating a the Jack of Hearts from a casino blackjack playing card onto a pair of men’s fashion underwear.

As first glace, these underwear will make you want to touch them and try them on. The bold colour palette and rubberized graphics will fill a gap in your underwear drawer.

A coloured imprinted face of the jack proudly sits on the right front hip, a red imprinted heart front and centre on the pouch, and a bright red rubber ‘J’ jumps off the left hip. Three small red rubber diamonds adorn the back right side.

The underwear is made from 96% cotton and 4% spandex, giving them a soft, comfortable, form-fitting fit. They are comfortable enough to wear all day; and the cotton is easy breathing.

A classic low-rise trunk style is about all that is standard about this underwear. The electric blue, 1.25” dual embossed logo waistband really stands out. There is a huge white Pump! logo across the front, and another smaller Pump! logo on the back right side. The extra thick metallic-elastic waistband keeps the garment securely in place while you go about your activities.

The dual-layered, contoured pouch provides ample room and the red trim enhances the form-fitting shape. The legs have bright blue trim with complimentary reinforced blue stitching.

When putting on Pump! underwear for the first time, the stiffness of the rubber coating appears to feel uncomfortable, however, after having them on for just a few moments, it’s not even noticeable.

Machine wash warm, only non-chlorine bleach. Tumble dry on low head. Cool iron if needed (avoiding rubber areas). Wash with bright or white colors separately.

Pump! underwear tends to fit small; consider purchasing one size larger than you normally wear.

Boxer briefs are $36 and regular briefs are $24.50.

You can take a gable at the casino, but not on Pump! underwear. Overall, Pump! has created an exceptional pair of quality underwear at an affordable price.

Pump! underwear can be purchased online through their website or at select retail locations across Canada including Priape.

Rating:

Overall – ★★★★★

Style – ★★★★★

Fit – ★★★★★

Quality – ★★★★★

Fabric – ★★★★★

About Pump!

Pump! is a Montreal based company. They are focused on delivering high quality products at an affordable price. They have a wide variety of underwear collections and also make tank tops and tee-shirts. A swimwear collection is in the works.

Montreal is a hot bed for great music, especially DJ’s. Like most cities, raves in Montreal happen in unique venues and attract an eclectic crowd of party-goers; the difference comes from how accessible raves are.

In Montreal raves are much more open and publically promoted. They aren’t in secret warehouses or abandoned buildings. For instance, Psybass the 13th V.8 was held in a decommissioned aquatic centre located near The Village.

The location is a popular rave hall and is a perfect venue because the empty pool converts into a dance floor, perfect for keeping dancers in a contained area. DJ’s playing traditional trance and rave music set-up on the pool deck in the ‘deep end’ and large screens surround the pool area.

Many raves in Montreal also serve alcohol to attract a wider variety of people.

A visit to Montreal would not be complete without having Montreal smoked meat and poutine; and where else could you get anything else more authentic than at Montreal Poutine in Old Montreal.

Located on the cobble-stone streets of old Montreal, the almost hidden restaurant is just waiting to be discovered.

For those not in the know, Poutine is essentially French fries covered in gravy and fresh cheddar cheese curds. But Montreal Poutine takes it to the next level by offering other variations including toppings like smoked meat, Italian sausage, bacon, and chicken.

They also serve Montreal smoked meat by the platter, on a sandwhich or on top of homemade pizza.

You will find more than just poutine and smoked meat. There are fresh salads, burgers, and sandwiches – all made fresh to order.

On a sunny evening there is a patio in the back of the restaurant perfect for a get together with friends.

You can find Montreal Poutine at: 161 St Paul Est, Vieux Montreal or www.montrealpoutine.ca

Chocolate lovers, I’m going to let you in on a secret Montreal has been hiding; Juliette & Chocolat, an innocent little bistro tucked away on St Denis in Montreal.

To sum it up, Juliette & Chocolat is the place to go for the best quality chocolate in all forms in Montreal. Imagine, gooey brownies, bit-size pralines, pasteries exploding with chocolate, and velvety fondues with the freshest fruit.

They are also well known for golden crepes, spread with chocolate, maple syrup, caramel, ice cream and every combination of nuts, fruit and whipped cream that you can imagine!

For the more health conscious, there are amazing salads with fresh greens. Of course it wouldn’t be complete without the dark chocolate vinaigrette!

Next time you’re in Montreal, or if you’re a resident, make Juliette and Chocolat a priority!

Juliette and Chocolat
1615 St-Denis
Montréal, QC H2X-3K3
T 514.287.3555
www.julietteetchocolat.com

Montreal, Quebec is rich in history. The architecture rich city is home to dozens of cathedrals of various shapes, sizes and religions. The most popular of them all is the Notre Dame Basilica.

The original Notre-Dame in Montreal was founded in 1642 by Maisonneuve. Until 1959, the faithful gathered in the modest wooden chapel. It was operated by the Jesuits until the Sulpicians’ arrival in Ville-Marie (Montreal), in 1957, when they took over the parish.

The construction of the stone church took place from 1672 to 1683. By the year 1800 many parishioners had to listen to the mass from the parvis because there was not enough room inside the church.

After many years of discussion to renovate the existing church, in 1823 the church wardens approved the plans for the existing church.

The basilica’s architect was James O’Donnell, an Irish protestant living in New York. He moved to Montreal to oversee his work, converted to Catholicism and died in 1830, just a few months after the church’s inauguration.

Construction of the towers started in 1841 and was completed in 1843. The great bell, located in the western tower, Perseverance, weights 10,900kg. The eastern tower, Temperance, is home to a carillon with ten bells.

The interior of Notre Dame was inspired by the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. Mr. Victor Bourgeau, the diocese’s most prolific architect, was hired to design the existing décor. He submitted his plans in 1869, but work did not begin until 1874 and was completed by 1880.

Today, visitors are welcome to visit and take part in the regular scheduled services. There is a minimum five dollar donation to enter during regular business hours. These admission fees help finance the ongoing restoration and conversation of the building.

There are six major features for visitors to see:

1. The sanctuary and alter: Melchisedech offers bread and wine; Moses places an urn full of manna in the Arch of the Covenant; Abraham prepares to sacrifice his son Isaac; Aaron sacrifices a lamb; Mary is crowned by her son; the six polychrome statues represent Saint Peter and Saint Paul and the four evangelists.
2. The Pulpit: Built from 1883 – 1885; sculptures by Louis-Philippe Hebert
3. The organ: Originally built in 1891 by the Casavant brothers; it has 4 keyboards, 99 stops and approximately 7,000 pipes.
4. Chapel of Notre-Dame du Sacre-Coeur: Built from 1888 to 1891; destroyed by fire in 1978 and was rebuilt from 1979 to 1982.
5. Chapel of the Blesses Sacrament: The faithful may pray in peace; behind the chapel is the baptistery.
6. Stained glass windows: Ordered in 1929, the ground floor windows depict scenes of Montreal’s social and religious history.

For more information, visit the Notre-Dame Basilica website.

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