tour de montréal, june 4-7, 2010

Join us for four days of active exploration in Montréal with an insider at your side!

At the heart of our itinerary was the Tour de l’Ile, the greatest cycling event in Canada. We joined riders of all ages and fitness levels, as we rode 50 k (about 30 miles) and discovered many areas of the city in this day long event.

We also rode Un Tour  la Nuit - a 12 mile evening ride under the city lights.  What fun!

When we weren’t riding, we delved into the city’s rich history, sampled international cuisine, viewed Canadian art , and enjoyed scenic vistas and streetside cafés.

Travelers’ comments:

Thanks so much for the great trip, Karen!

Perfection: redefined.

We did a week’s worth of activities in only 3 1/2 days.  Yet the visit felt leisurely.

I’m so glad I rode!

The trip was such a great success, that we’re going to do it again next year: June 3-6, 2011!

What’s special about this trip

• Experience Montréal life with an insider at your side. Karen Kane regularly leads tours to Montreal and writes about the city’s food and culture. She’ll introduce you to hidden corners and neighborhood haunts - making it easy to actively engage with Montrealers and their culture.

• Participate in two events of the Montréal Bike Fest, a citywide celebration of the bicycle.  Tour la Nuit is a fun, car-free bike ride along some of the city’s loveliest streets under the lights.  The Tour de l’Ile is a noncompetitive all day ride through the streets of Montreal.

• Walking, we’ll explore several areas of the city in depth - examining Montréal’s Old World roots and its modern joie de vivre as we go.

• Our small group - 2-4 people, each with a single room - gives you your own space, while allowing opportunities for meaningful connections and stimulating conversations.

• Bike Fest registration, bicycle rentals, and meals are included in the price of the trip. All you need to do is arrive and enjoy!

A sample day

9:00-12:00. Arrive Montréal. Check into your cozy room and unpack. Our base is a lovely B&B in the vibrant Plateau quartier. Then we’ll make sure our bikes are ready for the weekend.

12:00 - 1:30. We’ll take the Métro to Old Montréal - the French quarter - for a delicious lunch at a bustling café, and some wonderful views.

1:30 - 5:00. We’ll wander the cobblestoned streets of Old Montréal.  This area of Montréal is the city’s oldest - and we’ll learn about its past at Musée Point-à-Caillère. We’ll also take in 17th century architecture, modern galleries, and explore the walking path that borders the city’s vibrant waterfront.

5:00 - 8:00. Fortified by a light dinner (and with a few snacks for the road), we’ll get ready to see the city by bike.

8:00 - 10:00. We’ll join thousands of Montrealers for the Tour la Nuit, a car-free bike ride along some of the city’s loveliest streets under the lights. The event is about 12 miles long, and is a great family affair.  It starts a short distance from our lodging.

Trip leader
Karen Kane owns Montréal by Design, a travel consulting service that specializes in fantastic trips to Montréal. Her work has been recognized by the NY Times, LA Times, Boston Globe, Montréal Gazette, Houston Chronicle, Delta Sky Magazine, and National Public Radio.

What’s included
• 4 days and 3 nights in Montréal
• Your own room in a delightful three-star B&B
• Daily breakfast, four inspirational lunches, and three fantastic group dinners
• Bike rentals
• Guided walks that get you off the beaten path
• A personalized notebook that puts the city in context historically and culturally
• Montréal museum and métro tickets
• Recommendations for and help arranging optional activities, including jazz clubs, a cooking class, spa appointment and the like

Not included
• Transportation to Montréal, airport transfers
• Personal expenses
• Passports and travel insurance

Cost and registration
Cost is $1560 per person, single occupancy, if registered before May 1, 2010. Cost is $1,690 after May 1.
Registration is on a first come, first served basis, and maximum group size is 4. A deposit of $500 is required to reserve your place in The Tour de Montréal.

Are you interested?
To register, or for a detailed itinerary, contact Karen Kane, at 800 430 5436, or email karen@montrealbydesign.com.

lots happening in mile end

I’ve been wandering Mile End lately, with and without clients.  I love that it’s an interesting mix of architecture, commerce, art and people.

These photos take you to the neighborhood in ways my descriptions just can’t.  I’ll be back with a few reviews, but in the meantime, merci mille fois - a thousand thank yous - to Cynthia Hartnett for sharing these photos (which I have regrettably cropped to fit the blog format.)

particles of reality at dhc-art

At DHC-ART, the space is beautiful, entry is free, and the work high quality and thought-provoking. The current expo, Particles of Reality, by Israeli artist Michal Rovner, combines video, installation and sculpture.

I found the show beautiful, mysterious, intricately designed and socially relevant - a curious combination of abstract and real.

The first installation, Data Zone, consists of three large white tables imbedded with Petri dishes. The “cultures” are actually videos, where dark human figures, reduced and stripped of physical characteristics, resemble strings of bacteria. The figures/strings move in intricate patterns across an illuminated white field.

Each dish seemed to contain a kind of modern dance where I reveled in the beauty of the movement, and searched in vain for a narrative. Rovner is a trained dancer, and the choreography of her “data” is both mind-boggling (the complexity of the patterns suggest that they are created by computer programs) and meditative.

The human forms at the foundation of Rovner’s work are part of the exhibit. I was struck by the amount of humanity the anonymous figures retain when reduced from real life men and women with identifying characteristics.

These figures are superimposed (and always exquisitely lit) on stone sculpture, canvas, notebooks, and four floor-to-ceiling screens. While we don’t see people, the installations feel personal. The line between real and abstract is not clear.

The show also contains continuous screenings of Rovner’s more overtly political works, in which she creates large-scale installations, one on the border of Israel and Lebanon, and the other using 60 tons of white building stone from the remains of Palestinian and Israeli homes.

Particles of Reality ends this weekend. Hurry to see it before it goes.

Have you seen the show? Tell us what you think!

If you go…

451 Rue St-Jean, at St-Sacrement, M: Place d’Armes
Open W-F noon-7pm, Sat and Sun 11am-6pm

galerie maison kasini opens with installation

Art is food. Feed the people. This weekend, Galerie Maison Kasini, Montreal’s newest contemporary art gallery, gives sustenance to body, mind, and spirit at their grand opening in the Belgo Building.

Working backward:
Reception, Saturday 4-7pm in their new fourth floor space. Meet writer, artist, and gallery owner Ric Kasini Kadour and participating artists. Eat real food: fruit, chocolate, cheese, wine.

Get your aural fix, Saturday 3pm. Nicolas Dion, a.k.a. Darcin, will perform “X” - a sound performance that focuses on the manipulations of one toy instrument by one person and one computer.

Graze, Saturday 2pm. “Commencement” expo and ARTSHOP open. Visual artists include wood sculptor Clement Yeh, collage artist Karen Geiger, jazz-inspired abstract painter Lois Eby.  ARTSHOP sells monographs, chapbooks, small one-of-a-kind works, multiples, and other creative endeavors by contemporary working artists.

Saturday, noon. Feast on the gallery’s temporary proportions, newly wrapped in brown paper by performance artist Emma Waltraud Howes.

Friday 11am-6pm, watch Howes, an interdisciplinary artist who has performed and exhibited internationally, as she stretches and affixes brown paper throughout the gallery to create new walls and redefine the space.

If you go:
372 Ste Catherine Ouest, Suite 408

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.

st michael’s church open to visitors

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve passed St Michael’s Church while wandering Mile End and thought: maybe this time it will be open. There’s almost always someone on the stairs of the imposing, Byzantine-looking structure - munching a sandwich, reading, talking on a cell phone, or just whiling away the afternoon.

But, alas, the double wooden door is closed and locked, with no notice of when it will open.

I’ve wondered: Is the interior like Sacré-Coeur in Paris, brimming with golden mosaics?

Or more like the Greek-Orthodox church of my childhood, where I attended Easter services with a friend? My memories of her church center on the aromas of pirogees served on Fridays, and the colorful icons in gilded paintings and radiant stained glass windows.

En fait, Eglise St Michael is unlike either. And I have the Canada Summer Works program to thank for setting me straight.

I arrived earlier this month to find the doors open and a young man from Massachusetts waiting to give me a free tour. He unlocks the doors daily as part of a program that helps not-for-profit organizations increase visibility, while giving college students valuable work experience.

His enthusiasm is respectful but not dry - and he is delighted to hold forth on the statues, symbolism, history and art history of the parish.

To my surprise, the church is not Greek-Orthodox as the dome and minaret suggest, but Catholic, under the auspices of the Franciscans. The original worshippers were Irish; that population has dwindled, and the church now serves the Polish community.

My guide pointed out the saints adorning the inside of the dome (which was the largest dome in Montreal before St Joseph’s Oratory was built). He told stories depicted in Guido Nincheri’s stained windows and murals. He explained how the Stations of the Cross were copied from a church in Munich.

I love the way tour guides make even stone - and in this case, concrete - come alive. My tour was worth the long wait. This young man’s insights helped me appreciate faith, architecture, and the history of this splendid neighborhood.

Ca vaut le coup d’y passer.

If you go: 5580 Rue St Urbain, at St Viateur O. Visits in French and English, M-F, 9:30am-5pm, July-Aug.

Photograph courtesy Mourial.

leonardo de vinci until july 5

Thanks so much to Christine Sawyer for this contribution.

The 5th floor of the Eaton Center has an exhibit hall and is presenting two exhibits this spring: Leonardo da Vinci – The Exhibition – Man, Inventor, Genius and Titanic – the Artifact Exhibition – Real Objects, Real Stories (which includes over 288 real artifacts recovered from the ocean floor).

I was surprised to see exhibits of such quality in a place I did not even know about. The Leonardo da Vinci exhibit we saw is definitely worth the visit. It has already visited several European and U.S. cities - if you are in Montreal in June, don’t miss it!

Throughout the exhibit, you are accompanied by Renaissance-era music from the time of Leonardo da Vinci, taking you back in time. You can also see the chronology of his life, which will surprise you. How can one man invent machines, discover anatomy and paint chefs d’oeuvre all at the same time?

The Leonardo da Vinci exhibit presents more than 60 custom-built models on everything from machines to lift heavy objects, war machines, flying machines and more. The wooden models have been made in vivid detail from da Vinci’s original drawings by skilled Italian craftsmen in Florence.

With these models, this exhibition reveals how much ingenious and ahead of the time da Vinci was. It is always a surprise to see that his inventions are still used today - more than 500 years later. Some of the most innovative and contemporary and inventions presented here include a hang glider, a parachute (don’t forget to look up not to miss those), a military tank, a self-moving car and elegant bridge structures.

A series of reproductions of Leonardo’s paintings are also represented in the first few rooms of the exhibit. Extensive research on the origins and the “life through centuries” of each of these paintings is detailed. You’ll learn things you have probably never heard about (I hadn’t!): the likely authenticity of each painting, the successive owners including kings and cardinals, where the paintings were displayed, their renovations and more.

You’ll learn the story of the famous Joconde, how it was stolen in 1911 and the multiple copies which were done at the time, which actually even leaves some little doubt about the authenticity of the one currently displayed at the Louvre, in Paris. You also see some of his notebooks with sketches and his famous “backward” writings.

The exhibit website has details of the exhibit.  Check the “press” page in particular for Leonardo da Vinci bibliography, life chronology, and fun facts.

If you go:  The Montreal Eaton Centre – 5th floor, 705 Sainte-Catherine Street West  

Opens daily at 10am; closes at 8 pm Sunday to Wednesday and 9 pm Thursday to Saturday.
Tickets: $12.95 or $14.95, on the web or at the door.

give peace a chance

Few things are more worthy of our imagination than world peace.

And few things require more imagination - which is why I love the exhibit, IMAGINE: The Peace Ballad of John & Yoko, at the Musée des Beaux Arts.

There is much to praise about the show, beginning with creator Yoko Ono’s intent. The conceptual artist envisioned the expo as both a celebration of the 1969 Montreal Bed-In, and yet another grass roots appeal for peace.  In order for the message to reach as many people as possible, admission is free.

John and Yoko’s Bed-in for Peace was part honeymoon, part Vietnam war protest. The couple arrived at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal on May 26, and stayed for a week - appearing on radio shows, granting TV interviews, and entertaining Timothy Leary and other anti-war populists.

In footage from that week, Lennon is serious, silly, committed, and tired. He encourages alternatives to violence: “Stay in bed and grow your hair,” he says. “Less words, and more peace.”  Their suite at the QE comes alive with his music.

The exhibition recreates the event and the years surrounding it through drawings, unpublished photos, videos, books and films. But nothing takes the viewer back forty years like hearing the soundtrack, with songs by Lennon.

There are several participatory elements, including the opportunity for visitors to record their own bed-in, and share the photos and videos on the museum website.

Visitors can play “Imagine” on a replica of Lennon’s white piano, stamp “Imagine Peace” on maps of the world, and read works by Nobel Peace Prize winners in the Peace Library

Free films about John and Yoko, including “Gimme Some Truth: The Making of John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ Album,” will be shown throughout the month of May.

The message is still timely and universal, and even businesses are helping spread the word - a number have offered their services in association with the expo, free of charge.

In a press conference promoting the show, the still youthful looking Ono insisted that when it comes to creating world peace, “each person has an incredible power.” It’s ironic that in this world of viral marketing, we need to be reminded that we can each make a difference.

If you go:  Montreal Musée des Beaux Arts, 1380 Sherbrooke Ouest, open T-F, 11-5 (W until 9); Sat Sun 10-5.  Until June 21, 2009.

Photograph courtesy Christine Sawyer.

celebrating april 1

The French celebrate April 1 with Poisson d’Avril, or April Fish. Traditionally, there is one practical joke:  French children surreptitiously tape a picture of a fish on their schoolmates’ backs - then yell “Poisson d’Avril” when the prank is discovered.

Far be it from me to play jokes on my friends.  But where in Montreal might we find some surprising fish?  

Think chocolate, seafood, art, and more.

Les Chocolats de Chloé celebrates fish all year long, with their homemade sardines pralineés - wonderfully detailed little fish packed with milk chocolate and hazelnut paste. These are one-person delicacies, and if truth be told, I bite off the head, then the tail, then work my way through the plump body. When I mentioned this to Chloé, she said: Just like a kid.

546 Rue Duluth Est
(514) 849-5550

Chocolats Privilège is a rather serious place - so I was surprised this weekend to see that they had lots of fat, jolly, dark chocolate molded fish, from petit (gone in a few bites, but still bigger than Chloé’s) to gros (meant to be shared, or savored over the course of a week.) Wrapped in cellophane and tied with a bow, they make lovely gifts.

7070, rue Henri-Julien, at the south end of Jean Talon Market
(514)276-7070

Poisson Rouge is a comfortable and cozy BYOB, and the food, mostly fish and seafood, is creative, and delicious. Today’s specials (though not necessarily in honor of April 1), include wild sea bass, tuna, and scallops. The table d’hôte - 5 courses for $37 - is a good value. Which is why it’s always a good idea to reserve.

1201 rue Rachel Est, across from Parc Lafontaine
(514) 522-4876

Montreal Museum of Fine Arts has fish…where?

If you find one at the museum, or anywhere else in Montreal, let us know!

1380 Sherbrooke Street Ouest
(514)285-2000

the artist’s montreal, october 23-25, 2009

Experience Montreal from an artist’s perspective!

Six artists and art lovers joined us for a stimulating weekend of looking, learning, and conversation.  Here are a few comments, followed by a description of the trip.  We haven’t yet set another date for The Artist’s Montreal - but let us know if you’re interested!

It was so relaxing to spend time with my friends and make new friends in a wonderful city. Seeing the art was fantastic. The food was wonderful. I really enjoyed this trip! SD, Florida

Susan’s insights in the museums were most valuable. I would never have gotten that information on my own. SB, Colorado

I really loved seeing the printmaking studio. Partly because that is something we don’t have here, and I really like knowing it exists elsewhere. JM, Vermont

We’ll engage your intellect, your intuition, and all of your senses as we explore the beautiful streets and the world class galleries and museums of Montreal.

What’s special about this trip
• Painter Susan Abbott is a teacher par excellence. She has traveled widely and taught drawing and painting extensively. This workshop will integrate visual inspiration and art history.

• We’ll visit Montreal’s best museums and galleries, where we’ll look at specific paintings together, and learn about the evolution of Canadian art.

• In addition to guided museum visits, we’ll get to know historic and creative elements of Montreal through guided walking tours. We’ll sample wonderful food, art, architecture and crafts.

• We’ll balance group time and independent exploration. Our small group - 5-8 women, each with a single room - gives you your own space, while allowing opportunities for meaningful connections and stimulating conversations.

A sample day

9:00 - 12:00 - Visit the Musée des Beaux Arts, a short Métro ride from our hotel. Founded in 1860, the museum has one of North America’s finest encyclopedic collections. Susan will be our guide as we explore Canadian art, and a temporary expo on the Pre-Raphaelites.

12:00 - 2:00 - Lunch nearby, at Nicocchi - a small, light-filled café known for its Mediterannean-inspired pannini and salads, macaroons, and cookies made with chick pea flour.

2:00 - 5:00 - We’ll take the Métro to Old Montreal, where our walking tour will take in narrow, cobbled streets, fabulous architecture, some of the city’s best galleries, and a market with clothing and crafts made in Canada.

5:00 - Free time, for more exploring, shopping, or a spa treatment. Afterward, continue conversations with your trip mates over dinner. There are many excellent restaurants in this quartier - we’ll suggest options that match your taste and budget.

8:00 - Perhaps a jazz club after dinner - we’ll let you know what’s available and help you get there.

Trip leaders
Susan Abbott graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Maryland Institute, College of Art, and received her MFA from the Hoffberger School of Painting at the Maryland Institute. She went on to study intaglio print making in the graduate department of the University of Iowa under Mauricio Lasansky. She has traveled extensively, painting in Mexico, Central America and Europe. She has taught in the US, Europe and India. Her watercolor and oil paintings have been exhibited in galleries and museum shows in New York, Chicago, Washington, and many other cities. Her work is represented in numerous private and corporate collections in the US and abroad. See samples of Susan’s work at www.susanabbott.com.

Karen Kane owns Paris by Design and Montreal by Design, travel consulting services that specialize in fantastic trips to Paris and Montreal. Her work has been recognized by the NY Times, LA Times, Boston Globe, Montreal Gazette, Houston Chronicle, Delta Sky Magazine, and National Public Radio. On this trip, Karen will take you inside Montreal, the world’s second largest French speaking city. She’ll lead you to her favorite parts of Montreal, introduce you to some of her favorite people, work with you to personalize the independent time in your itinerary, and teach you everything you need to know about Montreal culture.

What’s included
• 3 days and 2 nights in Montreal
• A single room in a quartier that is home to the largest concentration of artists in Canada
• Daily breakfast, two inspirational lunches, and a fantastic group dinner
• Two experienced leaders, providing guided museum visits and guided walks that get you off the beaten path and allow you experience Montreal’s creative culture in many forms
• A personalized notebook, including additional Montreal addresses of particular interest that will help you discover arts venues, restaurants, shopping, and more
• Museum entries and Métro tickets
• Recommendations for and help arranging optional activities, including performances, a spa appointment and the like

Not included
• Transportation to Montreal, airport transfers
• Personal expenses
• Passports and travel insurance

Cost and registration
Cost is $980 per person, single occupancy, if registered before June 15, 2009. Cost is $1,099 after June 15.

Registration is on a first come, first served basis, and we expect this trip to fill quickly. Minimum group size is 5; maximum is 8. A deposit of $500 is required to reserve your place in The Artist’s Montreal.

Are you interested?
To register, or for a detailed itinerary, contact Karen Kane, at 800 430 5436, or email karen@montrealbydesign.com. For art-related questions, contact Susan Abbott at sa@susanabbott.com.

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