Montreal: Night Life

Salut! After a flight cancellation, therefore arriving home an entire day late and combating fatigue, I have managed to survive to see this day. As a travel enthusiast, I love breathing the air of new cities, and Montreal is certainly distinct.

I'd love to share some of the highlights of my trip, if you'd like to see. This post involves the nightlife of Montreal as it is evident that the city completely transforms throughout the course of the day; the neon lights are endless and the streets are flooded with people and traffic and jubilant sights and sounds. Music can be heard in every avenue; the experience is both overwhelming and enjoyable.

Rue St. Laurent: 
If you're looking for a central hub to explore on a weekend night, this is the best street to go. As it is considered the main road of Montreal, it is invariably filled with restaurants, boutiques, hotels, bars, etc., and is therefore, invariably exciting. Going around 12 am is preferable.

GoGo Lounge
3682 Rue Saint Laurent

Besides the vibrant decor (illuminating lights fill the bar area), the best part of this place is the menu, which is served on vinyl records. Additionally, the cocktails have rather original names (Coco Chanel, Mr. Breezy, etc). Overall, a great place to start the night.

B-Side
3616 Rue Saint Laurent

B-Side is certainly made for weekend life, as the specials are usually present during this time of week. Catching a 5 shots for $15 is certainly a steal, especially for the city life. The shots are all named after famous individuals (i.e. Jimmy Hendrix) and are incredibly delicious.

Rue St. Denis:
If you're looking to catch happy hour (5 pm-7 pm), St. Denis is the perfect place for an afternoon rest, as the streets are lined with an innumerable collection pubs and restaurants, most of them chain locations.

3 Amigos
1621 Rue Saint Denis
The 28 oz. margaritas are delicious, especially during a warm day. I would think any combination of the drinks is satisfactory.

Les 3 Brasseurs
1658 Rue Saint Denis

The ultimate pub experience, this pub serves beer by the endless pitcher. Overall, you will realize that any type/amount of their beer with poutine is magical.

Crescent Street:

I love Crescent Street for the fact that I went on a sheer whim with only a recommendation. It is possible that a Monday night might have not been the best time to people watch...

Mad Hatter
1220 Crescent Street

A general pub, Mad Hatter does not exclude specials for just the weekends. The most distinct aspect of this bar/restaurant  is the decorative menu. 


Brutopia
1215 Crescent Street

The one Monday night I went to Brutopia, it was trivia night, which left me with a rather cheerful impression. Generally, it is a pub for friends and fun.

Rue St. Catherine Est:
I try and avoid St. Catherine Est during the nighttime as it is in the Latin Quarter and is not considered the most safe street to be in Montreal. However, I would definitely recommend a visit during the day because the head shops, strip clubs (male ones included), sex shops, etc are distinctively unique, if not a bit gritty. 

Les FouFounes Electriques
87 St. Catherine Est

The artwork can be considered psychedelic, a meet between Lichtenstein and Munch. The atmosphere is pretty grungy, and I would definitely try to avoid locking eyes with other clients and bringing friends along...but then again, what's life without a bit of rebellion?

Don't think I forgot to mention the cuisine; look forward to the upcoming posts.

The Catcher in the Rye = Yummy.

A most powerful device lies inherent in the alteration of perspectives. Perhaps this is the reason why we travel, because we want to taste in the foreign air a sense of unfamiliarity, discomfort, and above all else, excitement.

This trait is also an underlying factor and ubiquitous thesis in literature. We can savor its fragrance, we can allow the distillation to intoxicate us, but full osmosis cannot be reached until we complete analysis.

J. D Salinger embodies the essence of modernist writing. In The Catcher in the Rye, there is a definite use of stream of consciousness, but it is not exclusively for the esoteric palate. This literary technique is a cousin to vivid imagery and similes. In French, une histoire refers to a story; through this somewhat digressive stylistic element, the author weaves through the story a distinctiveness which embodies a sense of captivity, and the audience becomes incessantly aware of the protagonist’s history, his journey through life. 

It is almost impossible to avoid the question of Holden Caulfield. Is he to represent Everyman? Or is he just character? His indecisiveness is his vulnerability, a similarity that all of mankind holds. This leaves us to wonder how we all fit into this complex universe of this Salinger story, as the ending is somewhat ambiguous and lucid in its declaration of disease. Holden is suppressed by a ubiquitous malady brought forth by the pressures of society, brought forth by his everlasting imagination and undying romanticism. Does Salinger predict that we all suffer from this particular illness? Or is this novel all a form of moral propaganda? Are we to live passionately and unendingly until the end? Are we supposed to drain this youthful spirit before this spoils? 

How beautiful it is to understand that these most powerful questions are undeniably up to us.

A Question of Culture.

The only novel that I managed to squeeze into my suitcase was Brave New World.

Huxley's vivid depiction of this dystopia allows the audience to comprehend the breadth of a new civilization with such a debilitating disease. How coincidental that while I am absorbed into this literature, I am also understanding the culture of Montreal.

This exploration focuses on the validity of cultural practices and beliefs. Huxley's dystopia is guided by "Our Ford", or Henry Ford, the inventor of the concept of mass manufacturing, which is prevalent and fervently existent in the core of dystopian beliefs of "everybody belonging to everybody else".

For the general audience, a society without chastity, without affections of love or hate or anger is horrid and absurdly unearthly. To be in a constant state of contentment mystifies our multi-dimensional personas.

Yet we fail to realize that in our scientific and technologically induced environment we thwart multiple practices and deem them as esoteric and untrue. In remote villages and reservations, there exists a vast variety of beliefs and practices passed down from ancestors of the land. These ideas and rituals may seem barbaric and savage, yet even a variety of them, which prove unharmful are abolished from our minds.

It is evident that our society fails to see the beauty in rituals and customs. Our galaxy is self-absorbed in its own quest for innovations that we are blind to past traditions, ideas which reveal the history of the past, a time machine that gives us a direct link to our ancestors.

In part, I believe this diminishing respect  triggered Huxley to write Brave New World Revisited. I think then, we see the novel on a different plane. That his creation is partially based on our society is meant to urge for change. It is meant to broaden our concentration and make us consider the existence of tradition.

 Perhaps it was also written to foster revolution. Perhaps it further elaborates on the importance of fighting for history.

J'adore Montreal!

How amazing it is to live in the Latin quarter and haunt head shops, and high-end grocery stores, and thrift stores, and liquor stores, and all kinds of other stores that are situated within walking distance.

The culture is a facsimile of European life; I love the fluidity of the french that swims in little slews of conversation on the rues.

Everything is hot and vibrant and fresh and new and I'm so excited to dedicate such time to understanding this fascinating city; its dynamism and persona is very much unlike the suburban life.

JE SUIS ARRIVE

I love it here in the center of town. But I think the lobby staff is getting a little irritating.
But all that doesn't matter now because I have the internet!

My first trip to the supermarket...by myself. Such a historic landmark.

Especially this. It's amazing!

mmm...alfalfa sprouts.

I'm off to explore the town! C'est tout. bisous.

Packing: The Chronicle Part 2

This is the beginning of my stash. Yum. 

Some light reading/beach reads...Iranian government, drug reliant societies, DDT, you know...

I like double belts...

To add on to the boredom...I documented my journey to Wegman's. I'm cool. 

This will be my last post in America for some time. Goodbye! Will continue in the land of the maple leaf.

Packing: The Chronicle Part 1

I've officially started thinking about packing today. Right now, I am going to make an impromptu list for all my essentials.

1. Toothbrush

2. Toothpaste

3. Socks. lots of socks.

4. Nylon Mag (purchase at airport)

5. The latest Nicholas Sparks "novel" (if there are even any new ones); I'm getting into the mood of crying my eyes out so my seat neighbor can move and give me the extra leg room we all know I deserve.

6. Clothes(?)

So I didn't go anywhere today. That sucks. But I did manage to stop by Old Town Alexandria sometime this week (I lose track of the days once summer starts). To personify this quaint slice of the DC metro, I'd paint it as your old grandmother who still holds onto antiques from the tail-end of the 19th century, trinkets, collectibles et al., yet still manages to remain gun-metal, minimalistic chic (stone tub, monochromatic marble...). And the weather was hot, all combinations of "fun in the sun" present.

I also went to Georgetown sometime last week. Being the total tourist-in-disguise that I am, I went to Serendipity Trois (not really french but every little bit helps).

Here I am with the infamous "Frrrrrozen" Hot Chocolate. It was comme ci comme ca. Could totally make a similar version, though.

To continue on my diabolical (or did I mean diabetic?) rampage, I went to Sprinkles Cupcakes, which can only be deemed as "that new shop competing against  our savior, Georgetown Cupcakes-!", even though it was the first American cupcakery.

But to tell you the truth, I think they're a little bit too obsessed with frosting. 

Then, I went to the sculpture garden and acted all hipster and shit. Can't you tell that I'm so cool with that confounded expression on my face?

I was under the delusion that I was in Paris...cool neogothic architecture fulfills very much my penchant for everything french.

Why would I otherwise go to Montreal?

So I went to orientation sometime this week, and all I can say is it was exactly what I had expected it to be. Rubber flip flops, pencil eyeliner, plastic hairbands, jerseys..yucky yucky yucky. But I am pretty sure underneath all of those bad choices lies decent human beings with a need for Alexander McQueen and Japanese couture. Can I revise an entire school? I'm excited to find out.

As for now, I'm heading back to my list.

Countdown.

This time next week, I would have already arrived in Montreal.

It's indefinitely exciting, but I am still not accustomed to the thought that I am going to spend three weeks by myself in a city I have never been to. Should I bast in this adventurous spirit?

I have no idea what to bring. I think I'll spend these last days searching for additional pieces to take on my journey.

C'est tout!

Summertime.

It's strange to not have any demanding tasks or obligations now. I am not sure how I should spend my time. Nevertheless, I sued some very versatile ingredients to create simple summery dishes.

Roasting potatoes in a hot oven with lots of salt and truffle oil

Wafer thin salami

Grapes, good brie, sliced tomatoes with truffle oil, salt and pepper (the best dish ever) and lemon slices, a refresher between courses.

I am as true a kettle corn fanatic as ever.

I also like to drink seas of hot jasmine tea.

 salami on toasted ciabatta, grilled scallions, roasted then browned potatoes with minced garlic

I've always have a penchant for homemade sorbet, especially during the summertime. This time, it's mango, but I think orange would be better.

the second recipe starts with yeast in warm water with a sprinkling of sugar.

Then add flour and form into a dense dough

let the dough rest for an hour+ in a warm environment. To cover: use plastic wrap; I'm using a vintage metal hood

Afterwards, punch to release excess air bubbles.

reserve scallions, white onions, tomatoes, garlic for topping

Peter Pan.

At 16, Marie-Thérèse met Pablo Picasso in front of Galeries Lafayette where she had bought a peter pan collar and began an infamous and scandalous love affair with the famous artist who continued to use her as the subject of his many cubist paintings. 


I bought a peter pan collar today.


All that's missing is my Picasso.