Abu Dhabi to Montreal: The Formula One is ours
Reading the newspaper this morning, I came across an article in the Montreal Gazette that supposedly claimed there are rumours out in the wild that the Formula One will be coming back to Montreal this fall. Abu Dhabi was behind schedule for their November 1st weekend, due to delays in building the race track. These rumours, however, have now been shut down because the planners for the Abu Dhabi races started selling tickets for the event this morning as planned. Coincidentally, November 1st is also the day the minicipal elections will take place, and Gérald Tremblay may have the chance of running his third consecutive term in office, a record currently being held by the beloved Jean Drapeau.
In my opinion, I think Montreal should just move on and forget the Formula One weekend ever existed… for now anyway. I know it’ll be back one day, when Bernie Ecclestone wakes up and gets his head out of his ass.
Upstairs – It’s Jazztastic!
Just a few steps below the street level on Mackay, you will find a quaint little hidden gem called Upstairs Jazz Bar and Grill. This place caught my eyes from the moment I glimpsed in through the window and saw an upright bass musician jamming away. As an avid jazz fan, I squealed like a little girl and excitedly walked in.
The place: dimly lit room. Very jazz-y and intimate. The Chicago 1950’s feel, complete with brick walls covered with an array of frames, takes you away from the downtown Montreal feel the moment you walk in. All that’s missing is the cloud of smoke hanging in the room (damn this ban!). The food is simple yet tasty and the staff is remarkably friendly. The ditsy, large breasted blonde bimbos you’d find as a nightclub bartender working for tips would not fit in to this classy, old-fashioned joint. Surprisingly, the prices are extremely fair. This place has a vibe I haven’t seen in a long time in Montreal, which is always a bonus since it seems that so many places follow the same template nowadays. A generally older crowd (30+) can appreciate this cozy, laid-back feel where people can share their passion for music.
Several times a week, you will find live performances by jazz artists. For that alone, it’s worth to check out Upstairs. Don’t get me wrong; you don’t have to adore jazz to go. When the performances are done for the night (roughly by midnight), the crowd gets back to it’s lively pace.
I fell in love with this place the moment I walked in. There’s a certain warmth in the personal interactions you can never find in a nightclub.
Their wine list isn’t too extensive, so I’d stick with the drinks. If you’re in the mood for a quick bite, get the Antipasti for 2, you can’t go wrong with calamari, smoked salmon, grilled chicken and a few other ingredients to pleasure your taste buds.
Bonus: Check out their website for scheduled performances as well as special recipes with step-by-step instructions.
www.upstairsjazz.com
McDonalds on St-Hubert Street: An amazing freakshow
There are places known for having alot of freaks as clients; One that immediately comes to mind is Spot Bowling in Cartierville with that 65 year old prostitute that is in her bikini even if its -40 outside. Another known one is the Guy Metro station, known for it’s stylish hobos. But my friends, I have found THE spot to see a wide selection of freaks, one more interesting than the other: the St-Hubert street McDonalds.
Since montrealing.com moved to the St-Hubert Plaza, I have been walking around the streets and noticing very ”interesting” people, to a point where I can proudly describe myself as an expert hobo-ologist. My unofficial research has led me to the following conclusions:
Looking for hobos is actually very tricky; the best place to find them in public areas where there is some type natural or man made protection; the best time to find them is actually during the day between 11am and 3pm. If you are a beginner in hobo-explorations, a simpler way to find them is to just look for pigeons, they are usually close by.
Saint Hubert Street creates the perfect environment for the hobo population, mainly due to the fact that the Plaza sidewalks have a protective roof and that there is a lot of foot traffic. Now where it gets interesting is when hobos are mixed with groups of older people, Squeegees, wierdos and hippies. That is where the McDonalds on the corner of St-Hubert and Beaubien comes in. The “Mcdo du coin” creates the ideal circumstances in Montreal in terms of Freak watching. Just sit back, relax and enjoy the show!
I will be updating this blog on a regular basis, with my discoveries; hopefully including some pics, maybe even some interviews. Please feel free to do some explorations of your own and share your insights your freak discoveries and hot spots.
Chez Liang – Starving Students, Rejoice!
There’s no doubt that Monkland village is a booming area of the city, located in N.D.G., just a few minutes west of downtown. Monkland Avenue is packed with small shops, bars and restaurants that are sure to offer something for pretty much everyone. As much as the strip is attractive, especially in the summer time, some good restaurants tend to be somewhat pricey. Fear not, for I’ve just discovered this great little joint located on Côte Saint-Luc, just a block north of Monkland, that offers some of the best Chinese food at a great price, called Chez Liang (also goes by the name Imperial).
I’ve actually walked in front of it many times and never thought much of the place since it always looked deserted. Apparently I was fooled; most of their customers grab their food to go, or even take advantage of their delivery service (however the delivery menu’s not as extensive). The interior decor is nothing spectacular, but sometimes those types of little family-run restaurants are the ones that offer the tastiest meals.
I had the General Tao chicken, which was some of the best I’ve ever had. And believe me, I’m a girl who loves her General Tao. Accompanied by a friend, the two of us ordered off their Table d’Hôte list which included a soup and spring roll. And get this, the bill cost 17$, total!
I forgot to mention the best part – it’s a BYOW! So really, there’s no reason not to go if you’re strapped for cash, are starving, and feel the need get tipsy over dinner. I can assure you, I’ll be eating there very often, and it’s not only because it’s located literally at the corner of my street… it’s because I’m cheap and can’t cook.
Gillett considers selling Montreal Canadiens
In case you haven’t heard, about 4-5 hours ago, several news outlets (here’s one) have reported that the Gillet family is selling the Montreal Canadians hockey team. I guess Mr. Gillet has had enough of his team losing and is wanting to get out before the team is worth nothing more than a stack of pennies. I really can’t blame him either. The whole 100th Anniversary thing is a joke now and needs not to be mentioned with the way the team is playing this season.
It was only last week that Bob Gainey fired head coach Guy Carbonneau, and we seriously have seen zero improvement in the way the Canadians are playing. You know who I blame? Carey Price. This kid has been spotted downtown more often than Hollywood “The Banana Guy”. Seriously, you can most likely find him at any of the higher end clubs smoking and getting shit-faced with a couple of locals. This type of behaviour is to be expected, since he’s from western Canada and they don’t exactly have nice clubs like Montreal does. Plus, he’s a country boy wanting to party with his new money. Yep, I blame Price.
Devi Indian Restaurant and Lounge on Crescent
Our waitress called it: “Crescent Streets Best kept secret” and she probably is right. I accidentally went in this Indian restaurant for dinner on Saturday and although I am still suffering from the consequences of the spices, this place was amazing. I have been to some typical “ghetto” Indian couple of times but this restaurant is nothing like that. The attention to detail in this joint is surprising, both from a menu and decor perspectives. The ambiance is borderline mystical, with colors, lanterns, wooden beams and great loungey “BuddhaBar” style music. The food was pretty much your typical Indian meal but the presentation was very interesting, with modern versions of the metal plates and cups you would typically see in India or any hardcore Indian restaurant in Montreal. Overall the experience was great and so was the service, however if you are just hungry and are craving Indian food, there are lots of alternatives in the city that offer the same food for the fraction of the price but if you are looking for a different dining experience, Devi is definitely worth a shot.
My bill: about 130$, tip and a bottle of wine included.
Time Supper Club for Ballers Only
What happened to saving your money and not spending it foolishly during the recession? It seems that I’m the only one who’s broke these days, as the higher-end clubs are packed with the rich and the wealthy, and Montreal can’t seem to cater all of them. It used to be a rarity – “bottle service”. Now, no one steps foot outside their homes unless they have a reservation and a table, with a 6L bottle of Moet & Chandon to boot with.
Time Supper Club opened its doors to the public in 2002 and has been active since. I don’t know anything about ownership changes, what it used to look like the year before or what they serve on the menu, but I will tell you that they are definitely doing very well for themselves. I would think that a club that’s not on the St-Catherine strip or its surrounding area would fail business-wise, but this is not the case for Time. Naturally, I would suspect the place is advertised mainly by word of mouth from party-goers who happen to have an excellent time and had to mention to everybody they meet about the experience. And this works very well for the club, because they keep an exclusive image and distance themselves from their competitors.
There used to be a club in New York City, dubbed “Studio 54″. It used to be the place to go to in the 70’s as a lot of celebrities used to frequent it, and being seen there was a Big Deal™. With that said, good luck getting in because the doormen for Studio 54 were selective and only chose people who were either loaded or simply beautiful, the latter being surprisingly more important. In Time’s case, it rather have both qualities present in its clientele. The 20$ cover charge seems to prevent bums from accidentally getting inside, yet I don’t understand why people who reserve a table beforehand have to pay this silly tax. If I’m spending over 1000$ in a single night, why are you charging me 20$ to get in?
Time is definitely a great looking place, with its high ceiling, flashy lights and its glittering disco ball make you feel like you’re high class. The decor, atmosphere and overall quality and cleanliness of the place shows, although ignore the napkins tossed all over the floor. At the end of the night, you’ll most likely be tossing a few in the air yourself. There is an upstairs VIP section with its own private bar for those intimate nights with loved ones, which was vacant the last time I went surprisingly.
I’ve heard numerous times about the clientele being snobby or uptight at Time, but I personally did not notice any irregularities. Then again, I’m usually not affected as I’m not exactly a scrawny guy to get pushed around, so people tend to move out of the way for me when I’m coming through (I still excuse myself when I cut through, mind you). I think people should expect snobbishness, especially in a setting of this sort: you’ve got bottles of alcohol lined up across tables and money flying through the air. I’m not saying it’s okay to act like an asshole among other clientele, but expect people to be full of themselves as it makes them feel better about the money they’re plunking down to get crunked.
Pros
- Awesome decor, lights and atmosphere
- Decent sound system, great music
- Vacant & free parking around club
- People are well dressed and beautiful
Cons
- Drinks aren’t cheap; 10$ average
- Getting in is a bitch, so reserve a table beforehand or find friends with connections
- Clientele is somewhat snobby, be prepared
- Mens washrooms are too small; urinals are too close to each other
- Silly 20$ entrance tax
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Loading ...Suite 701 – Don’t Forget to Shave
Feel like bumming out and getting wasted with your buddies without spending too much? Then don’t head off to Suite 701, because you probably won’t even get in with those dirty sneakers of yours. This lounge is the definition of class – the interior is beautiful, the people are beautiful and the drinks are beautiful.
Located in Old Montreal, Suite 701 is relatively small: basically a long narrow room with a bar running down one side. However, its extremely high ceiling prevents the feeling of being cramped. Opposite of the bar, a series of low coffee tables and lounging sofas help accommodate large groups. The interior architecture is absolutely fascinating. The high ceiling paired with the detailed moldings, modern chandeliers and boudoir-type mesh curtains give the space a classical, contemporary and naughty feel.
Although you’ll see the DJ booth the moment you walk in, there unfortunately isn’t an existent dance floor. So really, a DJ is kind of useless but she was hot, so there you have it. I’m more of a chat-over-a-drink kind of person, so the absence of the dance floor didn’t bother me. What was frustrating however was the excessively loud music that even prevented you from having a conversation. After somewhat mastering the art of reading lips, the ambiance was pretty chill and ideal for going out with a group of friends.
The drinks are not cheap, they’ll run you about 12$ for a cocktail, but you’ll definitely find some original ones made with quality liqueur. Maple syrup is an interesting ingredient found a few times on the menu – a tad too sweet for my liking, but worth trying and will definitely be enjoyed by most girls. Fortunately, Suite 701 is one of the rare nightlife spots where they serve mojitos! Finally! You can sit down with a drink and pretend like it’s just another hot summer day when the reality is that you’re completely unaware a snow plow has just ripped off one of your side mirrors during its run. Unfortunately, I speak from experience… By the way, the reason why those drinks are so hard to come by is due to the fresh mint leaves needed as the prime ingredient. Most of the time, it’s not worth for clubs or bars to carry something with such a short shelf life if the demand isn’t high enough. So ladies, no bitching if a club or bar doesn’t offer mojitos. Order something else and quit acting like a princess. … again, I speak from experience.
If there’s a drink that you must try, it’s called The Basilic. Evidently, one of the ingredients is basil… sounds nasty, I know, but its combination with the sweetness of the raspberry liqueur makes it very interesting. It’s a usual favorite for the ladies, the men however, find it tastes like spaghetti sauce.
Pros:
• Good music
• Good drinks
• Gorgeous design
Cons:
• Pricey
• A slightly snooty crowd
• Tight space
Macaroni – Yeah, It’s A Club
When my friends first told me we are going clubbing at a place called Macaroni, I thought it was a joke. Well, it wasn’t. Located on the corner of St-Laurent and Mont-Royal, it’s been open for a couple of months and has now become a hot spot. It is not a big club, but the vibe was really good mainly thanks to the DJ (I think it was Donald Latour, not sure). I dropped by after 1 am on Saturday and the crowd was really into it. The place is a a modern version of a mom and pop italian restaurant, with pictures of old italians eating on the walls. To be honest, it kind of felt like partying in a newly designed Pizza hut. I guess that’s what makes this place a little more special. Typical supper clubs have club names and try to emphasize on the partying aspect of the night, this place seems to be more about the food, the wine and the good time that can be had afterwards. I guess the next time I go there, I should actually live the whole Macaroni experience.