orchestre philharmonia mundi de montréal holds benefit concert

I love not-for-profits, where folks are bound by a common interest, complementary skills, and an itch to make the world a better place.

The Orchestre Philharmonia Mundi de Montréal, incorporated a year ago - a whirling dervish of energy, talent and good intentions - is a great example.

By day, 50 dedicated musicians, ranging in age from 20 to 81, work as hair stylists, doctors, lawyers, students and chefs.

They share their passion for classical music at weekly rehearsals, and perform winter and spring symphony concerts under the direction of Jean-Pascal Hamelin - who also serves as principal conductor of Orchestre Symphonique des Jeunes de Sherbrooke, and is a co-founder and artistic director of the recording label PALEXA.

This Saturday, Aug 29, OPMM is holding a summer benefit concert at The Playhouse, in Mile End.

“All members pay fees in order to participate in the orchestra, but this is not enough to pay for our conductor, our practice space, or our sheet music,” says violinist Andrea Feder, a twenty-something producer within Montreal’s indy film scene.

“An orchestra is not cheap to keep up. All the work is done by a volunteer committee, but there are still hard costs to manage, and dreams of buying our own percussion equipment.”

This weekend’s concert is an addition to the orchestra’s regular program. It’s also a way to experience the talented group on more intimate terms.

Small ensembles will play chamber music, including violin solos and wind quintets - as well as Scottish traditional music, Tango (a contribution from the orchestra’s Argentinean players), and even an excerpt from Fiddler on the Roof.

“It’s our way of keeping in shape for the season to come,” says Feder.

And about making the world a better place?

Aside from the benefits of beautiful music, the group subscribes to the “one person at a time” theory. Among the musicians is an oncologist who uses the orchestra as therapy for a stressful job; a retired ballet dancer, who took up the violin later in life; a school teacher who recently arrived in Canada to live with her mother; an engineer who moved to Montreal to work on the Olympic stadium and decided to stay.

And one more note: The Playhouse is known for booking bands before anyone has heard of them. Support the orchestra now, and you’ll not only be part of the In crowd - years from now, you can say you knew them when…

Have you seen OPMM perform?  Do you know someone in the orchestra?  Let us know what you think!

If you go: OPMM at The Playhouse, 5656 ave du Parc, Saturday, August 29, 2009, 7:00pm - 10:00pm. Tickets are $8.

praise from montrealers

Nothing feels as good as praise from clients…or from people who live in the cities I love to explore.

When residents tell me what I’m writing about and leading tours about is new and exciting to them, I feel like dancing in their lovely streets.

So you can imagine how tickled I was to read the first sentence of today’s Montreal edition of Vitamin Daily:  Just when we thought we knew our city like the back of our hand, someone comes along and knows it better.

They like our passion, and our unique guided tours.

They declared our self-guided tours perfect for when your in-laws are descending and you’ve just plain run out of ideas.

Read their praise for Montreal by Design.  And while you’re there, Montrealers, subscribe to Vitamin Daily for your daily dose of travel, arts, health, beauty or food news.

fantasme fashion event

In my work, I experience 99% of the addresses, activities, events and products I recommend. Experience is key. It sets me apart.

I get lost, eat bad food, and make mistakes so my clients don’t have to.

The upside is reliability, and information designed for use. And I love sharing what’s great about Montreal.

The downside is that I can’t be everywhere, do everything.

So I need your help: I just received information about Fantasme. The one-night fashion event brings together Montreal-based art gallery the Darling Foundry, and designers Andrew Ly and Melissa Matos in an outdoor fashion show, fashion film screening and afterparty.

It’s just the kind of thing I like to cover on this blog. It takes place Thursday, Aug 20…and I can’t go!

Dear readers, would you attend, and report back?

Give us a few details about something you loved or hated. Tell us if it worked, and why (or why not).

The event is open to the public and free to attend. Read the overview and see a video at http://www.fantasme-event.blogspot.com/

Please rsvp to FANTASMESEVENT@GMAIL.COM

I look forward to hearing from you on the 21st!

Photograph courtesy Melissa Matos.

bixi is easy, affordable, fun

There are times when I want to get from one end of Montreal to the other, and I don’t want to go underground. I don’t want to deal with parking or spend money on a cab - and it would take too long to walk.

Enter Bixi, the city’s new bike rental program. It’s easy, affordable (especially if you’re doing lots of short to’s and fro’s), and fun.

The bikes themselves are sturdy beasts, with lightweight aluminum frames, and wide tires that make cobblestones navigable and take the sting out of stormwater grates. Seats are wide, and the padded handlebars upright - making balance easy.

Shifting is easy, too - flick your wrist to turn a ring and change the gears. Unless you’re climbing Mont Royal, you don’t need any more than the three gears provided.

And the simple system leaves your left hand free to work the bell. This comes in handy near the Science Center, where cyclists and pedestrians mix liberally, and at intersections throughout the city, where the added twist to the mix is turning cars.

The sloping down tube and chain guard make the bikes rideable in just about any attire, and thanks to a taut bungee cord incorporated into the basket, knapsacks, shopping bags and maps are securely contained.

I can’t say enough about the bike path. Over 500 km of gently sloping, paved paths connect the main areas of the city, making it a cinch to get where you need to go - and beyond.

We took two bikes from Parc de la Fontaine one sunny Tuesday morning, jumped on the bike path, and sailed down to Ateliers et Saveurs in Old Montreal for a noon-time class.

We wandered the tiny streets in the Old City, then explored Ile de Notre Dame and Parc Jean Drapeau, saw Habitat 67 up close, and got great views of La Ronde. Later, we ambled through Hochelaga Maisonneuve and saw the Olympic stadium from the sidewalk.

In most cases, we moved more quickly than we would have in a car. And knowing that we could get places under our own steam, while helping ease smog and congestion, made the experience downright exhilarating.

Our only snafus came when we tried to return the bikes - and in the end the fault was mine. If I had read the 20+ pages of info on the touch screen before renting the bikes, we would have known that if there are no empty parking spaces for a return, you can get 15 additional minutes free, while you try another station. Push the symbol with the clock and the + sign.

There is also a map at most stations, so you don’t have to memorize their locations, as we attempted. And the docks don’t all work: if you try to slide a bike into an an empty spot and it won’t lock, you’ll need to find another dock that does.

We used the bike as both taxi (short hop) and tour bus (two hours at a time). Pricing favors the former. The first 30 minutes of use is free, so our credit card was billed for each additional half hour of the longer trips.

A hardy commuter advised us to avoid the charges by returning the bikes to a new station every 25 minutes, then taking new wheels. But we figured it would probably have cost us as much to rent a bike for the day, and we wouldn’t have had the flexibility that Bixi offers.

Do you cycle in Montreal?  Do you use the Bixi system?  Share your experience!

cooking classes and more at ateliers et saveurs

Experience is the best teacher - it also makes a great gift. At least that was my thinking when I treated my husband Ken to a cooking class at Ateliers et Saveurs in Old Montreal on his birthday last week.

I chose the hour-long midday class, called Gourmet Pressé, based on the year-old company’s website description. Poached shrimp with summer squash, pear, and citrus mayo on basmati rice sounded light yet substantial, and the timing - noon til 1pm for class and lunch - fit our schedule.

The classes are designed to be hands-on for the average cook - combining professional demonstration with succinct directions, bits of theory, and lots of class participation.

We arrived at noon on the dot (after visiting three Bixi stations to return our bikes) and were ushered into a spotless, high-ceilinged kitchen with an induction cook top in the heart of Old Montreal. Philip, our Montreal-trained chef, passed out aprons, and introduced the dish.

Philip had already made the rice, cleaned the shrimp, and prepared an aromatic broth with ginger and coriander. (The compressed Gourmet Pressé time frame necessitates more pre-prep than a longer class.)

The first task for our group of four - class size varies and is limited to 20 - was the citrus mayo. Philip separated the eggs, juiced and zested an orange, and handed a whisk and bottle of canola oil to the birthday boy. After a few minutes, I tasted for seasonings, and proclaimed it a masterpiece.

Next we sliced red onion, chives, summer squash and pears at individual work stations. A classmate stepped up to sauté the veggies, impressing me with her savoir faire as she put the wooden spoon to the side and shook the pan to keep the ingredients moving.

The class had a nice flow, as Philip outlined the tasks, demonstrated, and put us to work. His directions were concise as he shifted easily back and forth between French and English.

The organization was flawless, the spirit playful. Decorating our white plate rims with dots and swoops of reduced balsamic vinegar was a nice “cooking school” touch, without pressure - it truly seemed like something we could do at home.

Minutes later, we arranged warmed rice and golden veggies in deep, wide bowls, topped this with the pink shrimp Philip had poached in the broth (40 seconds, max, he cautioned), spooned on the fragrant mayo, and adjourned to the adjacent dining room to eat.

The dish was light and full of flavor, with the pear and summer squash combining nicely, the shrimp tender and juicy, and the mayo a luscious treat. The five of us sat at one end of the gorgeous, oblong table, and toasted our culinary success.

A glass of delicious Chilean sauvignon blanc wine was offered - though not in the French sense of “offert.” Wine, dessert and coffee are all available at an additional cost.

We couldn’t resist a sommelier-chosen wine, Bretton crêpes cooked at the other end of the table by Philip, or espresso to give us energy for our afternoon bike ride.

Ken loved the experience, and we talk of re-creating the meal at home. Or maybe we’ll just return with friends for a dinner class.

Ateliers et Saveurs also offers wine tastings, cocktail mixing classes, multi-course dinner classes, and corporate team building.

Have you done any of these? How was it? Can you recommend any other Montreal cooking classes? Let us know!

If you go: Ateliers & Saveurs, 444, St-François-Xavier