Dolcetto Montreal

Just last summer I found myself alone in Florence, living out my own "eat pray love" moment after a mother daughter trip fell through. Not so bad, I thought... It was as though I had just been whisked away to some culinary wonderland, and with no one to stop me, I was free to live a life of gluttonous, carbo-loading pleasure. Pastaaa, prosciutto, gelato, tartufo (the list goes on and on...), and after five days of intensive art history classes, I conjured up quite an appetite for slow Italian cooking. I fell in love; the florentine "spritz" and oven baked pizzas had become my favourite afternoon snack, and needless to say, I was already feeling nostalgic on my flight back. (read more...)

Maison Publique Montreal

After two delicious Sunday morning visits to Plateau's new gastropub Maison Publique, I've been singing culinary praise to Derek Dammann, the Montreal chef (of DNA fame...) behind this brilliant little gem of a restaurant. Hyped up because of its (purely business, he is an investor) affiliation with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, the restaurant could not be more discreet; tucked away on the cozy residential corner of Marquette and Gilford, it is recognizable only by the minimal signage on the door and its chronically bustling interior. (read more...)

Bocata Montreal

At Bocata Bar a Vin, flickering candlelight illuminates portrait-covered, thick-stone walls, giving a sense of romance to this solid neighbourhood joint. Being the second Old Montreal outpost from Roberto Barroco, Jeremie Falissard, and executive chef Benjamin Léonard (the threesome behind Barroco, situated just next door), Bocata hits familiar regional notes with its Spanish style menu. (read more...)

Cold Little City... Montreal in the Winter

As the snow casts over this cold little city come Winter, I become dormant, not wanting to do anything that involves leaving the house post-work. My basal metabolic rate slows...and looking around as I sit in a mountain of down comforters and quilts, there lays evidence of my general laziness on crumble filled tableware squirreled around the bedside. "I don't want to go out, I want to sleep and watch movieees in bed" I lament, as my body collapses into fluffy linen goodness. Of course, how do you say no to a night of hibernation as the temperature plummets below -20 C on the Montreal streets outside? It takes a lot to make me layer up and trek fearlessly through waist-high snowbanks in freezing climates, but there are some places that make the adventure well worth it...here are some of my picks for 2013.

Art Exhibits Winter 2013

Clockwise: (1) Dominique Blain, Mao - Wei Wei, 2012; (2) Samuel Roy-Bois, Allusion, 2012; (3) Mike Bayne, Marina, 2012; (4) Laurent Grasso, Uraniborg, 2012; (5) Michael A. Robinson, the origin of ideas, 2012; (6) Exhibition view, DHC/ART; (7) Holly King, from the exhibit Grand Canyon: Unseen, 2012; (8) Jennifer Lefort, Message received, 2012.

Click here to read more about the exhibits and their galleries....