The CCA – Architects do it with models

It is often a surprise to Montrealers when they discover that the CCA (Canadian Center for Architecture) is located in their own city. If you’re not an architecture buff and have no idea what I’m talking about, the CCA is “those three big stone buildings” on Boul-Rene-Levesque right across the entrance to the highway 720… and that weird floating chair.

The dying art of Architecture is an innovative, forward-thinking one that is best understood when analyzing it’s historical evolution. Exactly 20 years ago this year, the CCA was founded to promote the knowledge of architecture’s role in society in order to encourage design creativity and scholarly research.

The establishment makes this learning possible with one of the largest international research collections of models, plans, conceptual studies, and many, many other documents dating from the Renaissance.

The CCA has put into place Study centers, guided tours, exhibitions and an extensive library in order to create debate and a dynamic engagement with contemporary issues for people of all ages and levels of knowledge on this subject.

Along with the building (designed by Peter Rose with consulting architect Phyllis Lambert and associate architect Erol Argun in 1989), a large garden exhibiting landscape art is located across the blvd Rene-Levesque whose unique location allows its integration to the hustle and bustle of the city, while clearly defining a separation with a large open space. This helps create an ambiance of serenity and escape, while ironically having a location adjacent to a large highway.

Designed by Montréal artist-architect Melvin Charney, the CCA Garden is said to “restore the urban fabric of an area deeply scarred by mid-20th-century highway engineering.” – CCA

With all this information free and open to the public, I can only say one thing to those who have yet to visit and explore the CCA — Go culture yourself!!

Photos: Youssef

www.mysteryoussef.com

The Dalai Lama to give public talk at the Bell Center this weekend!

With multiple wars all over the world and the economic situation affecting people at a personal level, the 14th Dalai Lama’s visit to Montreal this Saturday, October 3rd will be a breath of fresh air that will help us gain a new perspective on these troubled times and look towards the future with optimism.

In a recent interview with The Gazette, the spiritual leader of Tibet shared his opinion on the impact brought on by today’s economic crisis calling its effects ‘tragic’, on individuals and spirituality:

“Hopefully, this [crisis] will provide us with food for thought when assessing our priorities and set of values. If nothing else, it has revealed that materialism is just too fragile a foundation on which to build one’s vision of life.”

He explains that a simpler form of lifestyle, void of materialism, is based on “contentment and [is] much more in tune with a responsible attitude toward nature.”

Whether you are religious or not, I highly encourage you to attend this speech. Unfortunately, it may be too late to get your hands on a ticket to this sold-out event. For his public talk at the Bell Center, entitled ”Educating the Heart: The Power of Compassion.”, the president of the Tibetan government-in-exile since 1959 will primarily discuss promoting the teaching of ethics through the education system.

“The problem is that our society is so dominated by consumerism, and people judge their level of happiness purely in terms of materialism.”

“They forget that the genuine source of happiness comes from within.”

Kiss Your Summer Getaways Goodbye: The New Ban on Chalet Rentals

As Montreal’s summer officially coming to an end, and students by the thousands head back to school, one can’t help but feel nostalgic of the many amazing opportunities the warm weather brings to our city. One popular activity is, of course, the renting of a chalet up north for the weekend with a group of friends. The games, the drinking, the campfires …the fun!  Unfortunately, this may all be a thing of the past.

Subletting homeowners in the city of Saint-Sauveur are battling right now to prevent the illegalization of short-term rentals in its residential sectors. This By-Law was actually put into place in 2005, at the moment of the fusion, but has been somewhat tolerated until now. The violation of the emitted level of noise is the primary reason for this stance. It is said that it will only be a matter of time for the nearby boroughs of the Laurentien area to follow next.

The obvious issue right now will be the impact on the region’s economy. If only long-term rentals are permitted, then all income provided to the city by students or lower-salaried workers can be kissed goodbye. This, of course, is added to the bourdon and inevitable financial troubles that chalet homeowners risk finding themselves in.

Thoughts?

The House of Jazz – A feast for all your senses

As the name might give it away, the House of Jazz is all about the sophisticated side of jazz, down to the last detail. From the moment you walk in, you will notice the meticulous New Orleans’ interior decoration covering every square inch of the room.

The tables are placed in an auditorium-style arrangement, converging towards the stage as the focal point of the restaurant. I highly suggest you grab a seat facing towards the stage, because as beautiful as the music sounds, half the excitement is watching some of the most talented artists play this intricate music with such ease.

With daily performances, it’s no wonder their clients stick around for many hours at a time. The Taurrey Butle Trio, a band I had the pleasure of watching, blew my mind. As a musician, I’ve always had the utmost admiration for jazz performers for it is the hardest style of music to play.  I couldn’t take my eyes off the pianist’s fingers, which seemed to be moving at a speed of a thousand miles an hour.

These men share a chemistry that is reflected in their music; they play as if they’re the only ones in the room. The pianist raced his fingers up and down the keys with agility, the bassist held up some of the best tempo I’ve ever head, and the drummer jammed away like only someone with ADHD can.

Aside from the music, The House of Jazz serves an array of dishes you can easily enjoy while watching the show. I highly suggest ordering the plate of ribs if you don’t mind getting your fingers dirty.

Montreal’s lucky to be home of such an authentic jazz establishment, with amazing toe-taping beats and a service reflecting the New Orleans hospitality.

Peter’s Cape Cod – ‘Any fresher and the fish would be swimming to you’

Having grown up in the West Island suburbs, the originality of restaurants around there was limited. What has especially bothered me was the lack of seafood places at affordable prices. When thinking about fresh seafood joints, La Sirene and Pêche Pêche generally comes to mind, along with the image of dollar signs.

However, Peter’s Cape Cod in Ste-Anne de Bellevue has been open for years and, despite the area’s seasonal wave of clientele, has managed to stay open through the vacancy in the winter times. The portions are generous and the freshness of their product is taken seriously. The Fish N’ Chips platter is definitely a favorite. I suggest you don’t try to be too health conscious and skip out on the fries, they’re some of the best I’ve tried!

Peter’s Cape Cod has a look that doesn’t scream overpriced. As good as the food may be, I highly discourage taking a romantic date there. The décor would make you believe a fisherman’s ship threw up all over the walls, but the tacky objects are worth putting up with for the giant terrace and view over the water.

http://www.bar-resto.com/peterscapecod

SOHO – Population: 5. No, not the one in New York…

I have recently discovered yet another quaint hidden gem, this one located in the West Island. In other words, if you don’t have a car, you’ll have a hard time getting there and should probably quit reading unless you’re masochistic enough to spend the 1.5 hours on public transportation.

SOHO is located in Pointe-Claire on St-Jean Blvd., squeezed between Moe’s Deli Restaurant and Patisserie Gascogne, on a large strip mall. Most West Islanders aren’t even aware of its existence, probably due to the giant parking lot (which I refer to as the “no man’s land”) that physically and visually separates the passers-by on the street from its shops. SOHO is a small restaurant, and by small, I mean minuscule. There must be a total of about 30 seats in the entire place; the sushi counter taking up a majority of the area with a piano next to it for the occasional nights when you can enjoy live music.

The reason why I’m boasting about this place is because it serves some of the best quality sushi. Their menu isn’t extensive and prices a tad high, but the seaweed will melt in your mouth like nothing else you’ve ever had. Quality over quantity is what you will get. Now, I know that nearly all my reviews have been fairly positive, so I’ll drop a few bombs and criticize in hopes of keeping my journalistic integrity:

SOHO, although has an amazing freshness to its food, does make you wait for what seems like an eternity, so don’t go while you’re starving because you’ll get cranky before recieving your meal. You’ll wonder why they’re taking so long when they only have a total of about 8 people in the room: it’s because most of their clients order take-out. The prices also seem pretty steep for the lack of originality and the slow service you’ll get.

This is an authentic Japanese sushi place, which means that you will not find silly ingredients such as mangoes or cream cheese in the rolls that North Americans have added and morphed a well-respected, traditional cuisine into a monstrosity they refer to as “Japanese-American fusion”.

PROS:

• Fresh ingredients
• Good cocktails
• Nice decor/ Intimate ambiance

CONS:

• Long wait
• Not accomodating for large groups
• Sushi not served as depicted in picture

Rita Rants: Drinking; a sad or sophisticated habit?

Earlier this week, I was seated in front of my computer finishing up some work when I noticed I had a bit of wine left in a bottle. Having spent a long day running around the city, I occasionally allow myself to have a glass at the end of my evening to unwind. However, I had to deal with a dilemma: there were no glasses in sight which basically meant I had to get up, go all the way to the kitchen to get one. No, I’m not that lazy, but this meant that I’d have to distance myself from my work, and when I’m on a roll, I don’t even get up to go to the bathroom. That’s right, I hold it in until I find a break… Wait, what the hell did you think I did??– awww you’re sick. So anyways, a weird thought popped into my mind… what if I just drank straight from the bottle? Why not? It is my bottle, there’s only a bit left and I’m alone so I won’t risk being subjected to judgmental stares. Needless to say, I discarded the bottle drinking idea because of the “bum” connotation linked to it. But in the end, it’s the same, right? The wine will taste just as good, so why should I feel like a bum? This got me thinking… where do we draw the line between the drunks and the connoisseurs?

A wine connoisseur can definitely have some wine every day, yet he’s not considered a drunk. He’ll be seen as quite the opposite actually, because his choice of alcohol gives him a higher social status no matter how many bottles he drinks. True, he does that little swirl thing and the sniffing, but that’s besides the point. So what, am I supposed to believe that the swirl & sniff separates us common folks from the high-class elite, sophisticated drinkers? Of course, a connoisseur knows his wine and many would consider this practice to be an art form and even a profession (Hi, I’m Bob… I drink for a living. No, really.) but who says Pierre-Jean from the corner McDonalds on St-Hubert doesn’t savor every drop from his bottle of vodka?

After a few minutes of pondering, I’ve found the answer. It’s actually quite simple. You see; a person’s level of class is solely based on the amount of times they transfer the liquid. Let me explain this theory:

• Drinking straight from a bottle of Chivas: not classy
• Transferring it in a nice straight sided whisky glass: classy
• Drinking wine from the bottle: not classy
• Transferring it to a wine coup: classy
• Transferring the wine into those weird large-bottom vases, and from there transfer it into a glass: very classy!
  + bonus points for the lifted pinky.

The same can be said for beer. But in that case, some drinkers take it up a notch and even skip a step in the production line by drinking straight from the keg, making them go to a -1 level of alcohol transfer. Those are considered to be the least classy drinkers.

So it’s not a matter of what or how much you drink, society has labeled the drunks as people who just skip a few steps.

So, why have we shunned the efficient ones? Instead of wasting time (and not to mention saving water by not having to dirty a few glasses to wash), they’ve managed to still have the same end result in half the time. If anything, they should be applauded!

Thank you, alcoholics, for trying to make this world a more environmentally friendly and efficient place, one 40-ouncer at a time.

La Banquise: 25 variations on a heart attack

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve definitely heard of those two beautiful words that, when uttered, are sure to induce instant drooling to any young Montrealer. It’s one of those joints that make me wish I wasn’t writing this review on an empty stomach. Of course, I’m referring to La Banquise; the product of some crazy mastermind who one day decided to open a joint that serves almost exclusively Quebec’s pride and joy: the poutine.

If you’ve never heard of it, shame on you and go get some friends, but let me give you a quick recap:

The place first opened in 1968 as a dairy bar, also serving hot dogs and fries. By the 1980’s, the poutine started to gain popularity across Quebec and as a result, was added to the menu. When more and more people were introduced to this glorious artery-clogging dish, it hit a peak in the 1990’s and by 1999, La Banquise’s menu already listed 23 different kinds of poutine.

Now I bet you’re thinking: “Silly girl, how the hell can you make the ingenuous mix of fries, cheese curds and gravy any better??” Although you can never go wrong with the classic recipe, La Banquise offers 25 variations that are sure to especially satisfy the meat lovers. You can find combinations of ground beef, sautéed onions, merguez sausage, bacon… The list goes on, and I assure you that the choice is never an easy or quick one to make when seated in front of the menu.

Their poutine is only half the excitement. Since they’re open 24/7,  it’s no wonder that their peak hours are usually when the clubs shut down and a swarm of drunken party-goes, overcome with the munchies, invade the place. Don’t be surprised to find a lineup at 3:30am on a Saturday night. The place isn’t huge but trust me, the food is definitely worth the wait. Call me cheesy (pun!), but you always remember your first time at La Banquise, where a special moment is shared with the people you’re with.

Prices range from 6$ to 12$ for generous portions.

Gym memberships not included.

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

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.

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