About.com

Underground Art @ Nuit Blanche 2012: This Saturday

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:45:38 +0000

Above: Underground art participant France Dubois's 'Couloir du crépuscule', French for "twilight corridor," as seen during Art Souterrain's 2011 edition. Dubois transformed an underground city tunnel into what's supposed to look like a sunset as you walk through it. Curious what color the underground city tunnel usually is? Photo © Evelyn Reid

...

Read Full Post

Montreal Fashion Week: 2012-2013 Fall/Winter Picks - Part 1

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:22:46 +0000

Above: flowing silk dresses with bow-like draping created by husband-wife team Martin Lim -- Danielle Martin and Pao Lim -- who report a past working under Christian Lacroix, Hilary Radley and Roland Mouret prior to founding their own line in 2001. Photo © Evelyn Reid

...

Read Full Post

Laurier Gordon Ramsay Minus ... Gordon Ramsay

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 06:31:51 +0000

Above: Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay with wife Tana at the Sun Military Awards at the Imperial War Museum on December 19, 2011 in London, England. Chris Jackson / Getty Images

...

Read Full Post

Chilly Gonzales Comes Back to Montreal: April 16, 2012

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:28:54 +0000

Left: Chilly Gonzales. Right: Tiga. Photo courtesy of Chilly Gonzales

He beat a Guinness World record. He produced Feist. He starred in a film about chess. With his mom. Tiga. And Peaches. And now, Montreal-born Chilly Gonzales returns to his hometown for another opportunity to mess with our heads - if anyone can pull off a hybridization of Kajagoogoo, Lita Ford and Air Supply, it's him, not that he has, yet -- his first performance since his last one in town, in September 2010, to a sold out crowd.

While it's hard to really say what the spontaneous rapper/classical pianist/"musical genius"/"Jewish supervillain MC" will do come April 16 at the Rialto, expect Gonzales to delve into at least some material off his most recent offering, The Unspeakable Chilly Gonzales.

A POP Montreal presentation, tickets are $25 to $30 plus service charge and go on sale Friday, February 17 at noon. Buy tickets.

See you there.*

Photo courtesy of Chilly Gonzales

Valentine�s Day in Montreal: This Is How You Do It

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:27:29 +0000

Above: Inside Barroco, one of my top restaurant recommendations for Valentine's Day in Montreal. Photo courtesy of Barroco

"Honey, sweetie, sugar plum, like we need a commercialized excuse to show we love each other. Why do we need one day a year to do that when we can do it every day? You know? Let's skip it."

That, gentlemen, is the WRONG way to handle Valentine's Day.

"Honey, sweetie, sugar plum, like we need a commercialized excuse to show we love each other. But let's do it anyway! I saved up a bit so we could have a special evening, just you and me."

That, gentlemen, is the RIGHT way to handle Valentine's Day.

Exceptions aside, no matter how much your lady nods in agreement with the imposed nature of the hallmarked day of alleged love, there is a big part of her hoping that you're willing to go along and play sheep with the herd, just for that day, showing her that she matters enough to be worth the clichés, which are clichés because -- say it after me -- they work.

Above: unless your Valentine is allergic to either strawberries or chocolate, you can NOT go wrong strawberries dipped in chocolate. Ever. Buena Vista Images / Getty Images

Chocolate fed by hand*, flowers sent to her desk at work, dinner in a dimly-lit restaurant with service professionals passionate about their craft doting over her, jewelry that matches her skin tone (boys, if the visible veins on her body are blue, stick with silver, if they're green, go for gold), a tasteful silk teddy with lace and/or corset detailing, the keywords being form-fitting and supportive in the chest area if she's larger than an A cup and/or over 30. You want her to be comfortable, and if she's comfortable, she'll feel sexy. A best bet for classy lingerie in Montreal? Boutique Lyla on Laurier Avenue. Just be prepared to pay a premium: you'll get your money's worth as well as great styling and fitting advice from the sales team (again, check your darling's veins, their color will help the team choose flattering hues for her).

Don't belong to the 1% club? No worries. That bouquet of flowers? Try carnations instead of roses. They're just as beautiful, last longer and are more affordable. I would go as far as to say it doesn't really matter what kind of flowers you choose so long as you have them delivered to her place of work. On Valentine's Day. Almost every woman has wished at some point in her life that her man do that. Yet so few bother. But it's cheaper than a night out at the local bar. Isn't one missed hockey night in honor of lighting up her life worth it? Do you have any idea what she's skipped or given up just to see you?

And the restaurant? Again, if cash is in short supply, save on booze markups. I've got three bring-your-own-wines on this list of romantic restaurants in Montreal that ease the pinch without compromising on taste and presentation. Still too much? Buy a couple of steaks and cook them yourself instead (and do the dishes!**). And get this bottle of bubbly. Its quality and complexity kicks popular champagne brands in the arse -- Veuve Clicquot's acid rinse springs to mind -- whose lower end offerings cost three to four times as much since they're resting on their regional and reputational laurels, which is beginning to wear thin to anyone with taste buds. Even this $12 bottle goes down smoother. Honestly.

One word. Massage. B2M Productions / Getty Images

And think post-dinner relaxation. Purchase a bottle of almond oil at the local pharmacy or natural foods store (NOT mineral oil, that stuff is garbage, clogs the pores causing breakouts) and prepare the bedroom for a lengthy massage session (guys, don't do the half-assed five-minute token effort unless that's what you want back as a thank you). Pain relief, stress reduction, increased sense of well-being ... learning how to remove the knots in your loved one's back -- while periodically feeding her chocolate-dipped strawberries you prepared yourself that keep, oh no, dripping all over her -- is one of the loveliest gifts you could give the woman you love. And the oil, strawberries and chocolate won't set you back more than $20, maybe $30.

Take this one step further, making this a regular habit, and she'll be putty in your strong, sexy, virile hands. She'll also return the favor.

Montreal Jazz Festival 2012 Lineup: Liza Minnelli, Melody Gardot, The Barr Brothers

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:09:47 +0000

Above: Actress/singer/Broadway diva/key Arrested Development cast member Liza Minnelli is slated to perform at the Montreal Jazz Festival on July 5, 2012 at Place des Arts' Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier. Larry Busacca / Getty Images

...

Read Full Post

Montreal Fashion Week 2012

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:45:59 +0000

Above: a winter/fall 2013 design by Tavan & Mitto, a veteran Montreal duo boasting a past with Chanel and Gianfranco Ferré. Photo © Evelyn Reid

Just came back from attending a smattering of Day One at Montreal Fashion Week, this, after taking a year off from covering it, save one on-site show and one off.

Above: bold, eye-catching necklace by model turned designer Ralph Leroy. Photo © Evelyn Reid

And from what I gathered from this edition's lineup, a smattering of Montreal's leading designers also seem to have gone AWOL, from wild child Denis Gagnon to menswear showman Dimitri-Chris to my personal ready-to-wear crush, Barilà, to the one local talent whose intricate detailing borders on madness, the one local haute couture alumnus whose unapologetic screw-the-trends vision made my jaw plummet in sensorial ecstacy more than once, his catwalk theatrics and scores unmatched in Montreal. His name is Helmer. And he is nowhere to be seen.

Above: two gentleman enjoying the bubbly at Montreal Fashion Week. Photo © Evelyn Reid

In spite of the collective exodus, I'll be showing up here and there over the next few days, keeping my eyes peeled for designs I suspect you'll enjoy.

Above: Tavan & Mitto finale at Montreal Fashion Week, representing the duo's return on the Montreal Fashion Week scene, absent from the roster since 2003. Photo © Evelyn Reid

Stay Connected:

Receive the Montreal Newsletter

Have Your Say in the Forum

Follow Me on Twitter

Montreal Concerts: February 2012 Highlights

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 20:29:35 +0000

Above: Gainesville, Florida native Charles Bradley with his Extraordinaires, joining Daptone Records label mates Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings in reintroducing the masses to classic, vintage Motown sound circa its '60s and '70s heyday. Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires perform at Théâtre Corona this February 10. Photo courtesy of Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires

...

Read Full Post

Groundhog Day 2012

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:20:10 +0000

America's famed Punxsutawney Phil in consultation with his handlers. Archie Carpenter / Getty Images

Considering Canada's groundhog collective's predictive powers rate marginally better than chance, what do the furry rodents declare for 2012? Will Canada's winter drag on into March as it does every single year -- except for 2010, when Ontario's Willie Wiarton and Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil both anticipated six weeks of winter yet Montreal proved them wrong with a rare, remarkably early spring that started the first week of March -- or will a climactic shift of mercurial proportions be sprung upon us?

Well, the consortium appears to be hedging its bets in 2012. According to team Canada, e.g., Wiarton Willie and Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Sam, we're in for an early spring but south of the border's Punxsutawney Phil anticipates at least six more weeks of winter.

View an exhaustive list of 2012 Groundhog Day prognostications.

Random groundhog with shadow. Catherine Ledner / Getty Images

More on:

Groundhog Day 2011

Groundhog Day 2010

Groundhog Day 2009

Stay Connected:

Receive the Montreal Newsletter

Have Your Say in the Forum

Follow Me on Twitter

Montreal February 2012: Museums, Arts, Science

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:05:42 +0000

Above: one of Cancun-based sculptor Jason DeCaires Taylor's hundreds of underwater "living" sculptures positioned on seabeds off the coasts of Cancun, Belize and Grenada, acting as artificial reefs merging with ocean life. As per the eco-artist's bio, "by situating his sculptures in clear, shallow, barren areas, Taylor replicates the conditions necessary to stimulate coral growth," which should come in handy as all the world's coral reefs are expected to vanish in our lifetime. Photo still from The Last Reef 3D

...

Read Full Post