On the corner of Notre Dame Ouest and Charlevoix last Monday, I found myself in what some could call a bit of a conundrum. Post hot yoga and feeling spiritually cleansed (with insensible water losses to match), I was about to get into my car when I found myself staring at the colorfully appointed store windows of the new boutique, STOCKMARKT, across the street. Curiosity peaked, I was overcome by a sudden sense of guilt; wasn’t I, just a few minutes prior, happily Om-ing my way to a state of material riddance? “But look at that branding…” I debated to myself, as I peeked over the car hood. “So nice, kind of Scandinavian…” I couldn’t help myself; with temptation mounting, I quickly scanned my surroundings for any ultra-zen yogis who’d surely disapprove (none…Phew!) and scurried across the street and into the store at rapid speed. (read more...)

Sharply dressed women in teeteringly high heels, and plenty of men - some in Zegna suits, some in plaid T-shirts - make up the well calibrated crowd at Philemon, a bar championed by many Montrealer's since its inception in 2010. Perched on Rue St. Paul right across from the Hotel Nelligan, this place has a teasingly quirky, almost 1980's feel, with shots of blue and red on the walls, worn yellow on the floors, and a decor heavily infused with industrial materials that give it an overall masculine feel. (read more...)

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...)

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...)

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...)

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.

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

Having discovered ECC Chinatown last year and then sourcing out its Parisian outpost this past summer, I think it's safe to say that 2012 gave way to a healthy obsession for all things speakeasy. That is to say that I've fallen in love with this style of discrete nightspot, inspired by those from the prohibition era, when large quantities of (then illegal) liquor overflowed in clandestine bars hidden behind unmarked, concealed doors. (read more...)

One definitive highlight that stems from late afternoon walks in the Plateau has become stopping in at the popular eatery Icehouse, where Nick Hodge et al. has served up traditional Texan fare in close quarters since 2011. This 20 or so seat restaurant (which easily doubles in dimension come summer with its terrace) is, like its food, appropriately cool, casual, and fun; there are no reservations, no dinnerware, and usually no utensils, making ones dining experience slightly more feral, or at least more hands on, than you'd otherwise expect. (read more...)

Amidst sizzling temperatures and crowded highways, the best thing to come to Montreal this summer has been a preternatural strip of soft sand that reads high on the barometer of cool. Clock Tower Beach, so named because of its location adjacent to the forty-five metre stone tower, just opened this past June and has been buzzing with the kind of happy energy one can only expect from a place reserved for lying under the warm sun with friends. (read more...)