Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Montreal

Where can I buy pashmina scarves in Montreal?

niccolo — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:42:51 -0800

Where can I find pashmina scarves in Montreal? Not the super-expensive ones, but the many-coloured, mass produced ones. I saw loads in Chinatown in Vancouver, and I am wondering where I can find similar ones here?

Advice about moving to Montreal for artists

cotesdurhone — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:21:39 -0800

Advice about moving to Montreal (for artists)? I've decided I want to move to Montreal. I've been doing a lot of research, including looking through old Metafilter posts, but do not have a clear sense yet of what my chances are or the best channels to pursue.

Please help me find out:
-- Whether I stand a chance (only reasonable, empirically-based responses, please)
-- And, if yes, suggestions on how to best go about it

Some pertinent information:

I am 30, a writer (of literature), live in Boston. Was educated at a 'good liberal arts college,' and had a semester at Oxford studying creative writing.

My English is excellent, and I also have a high level of fluency in Russian. I do not speak French, but if I had the opportunity to move to Montreal, would straightway try to take the French classes sponsored by the government.

(By the way, does anyone have any information about this?-- Apparently, the Quebec government, in order to 'Francify' new residents and improve their chances of finding employment, will provide them with free French classes and a living stipend while taking them. One person seemed to indicate that they could be arranged as part of the Visa process, but, as I research, the catch-22 seems to be that one needs to obtain a Visa beforehand.)

For the last five years or so, I've been working part-time at office manager-type jobs while simultaneously working on my writing. I have also made money occasionally as a freelance editor, Russian translator, and illustrator (though no official degrees to prove I have these skills).

In Montreal, my plan would be to continue working part-time, also possibly freelancing in editing and illustration, and working on my writings the rest of the time.

I was thinking that, if it would be helpful and possible-- which it probably isn't--, I could also provide a 'resume' and attachments of publications and writings as a sort of appendix to the Visa application.

For more specific information, please see a previous post.
(Yes, I realize they are similar-- but this is one is specifically about Montreal.)

Thanks!

Game Over

Sully — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:43:49 -0800

MagazineDistributionFilter: I used to buy the videogame magazine GameInformer at my local bookstores and magazine shops. I live in Montreal, Canada. I did this for years, going out during my lunchbreak and picking it up, then reading it on the bus home after work. Then, all of a sudden this past January, all the stores stopped getting it. I looked everywhere. All the big bookstores, all the magazine store chains. It was frankly, bizarre. The only place that still seemed to get it was EB Games, and they only got a few copies. I now subscribe to the magazine, but the question of why they would suddenly stop distributing to newsstands here has plagued me. Does anyone know?

Propitious places to move to & unusual living situations for having 3 or 4 days a week free to work on personal project

cotesdurhone — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:39:38 -0800

I'm working on a project that requires at least 3 or 4 full days attention each week. What are some places in the US or world I could move to, &/or unusual living situations, that would give me a good chance of doing this? Other considerations:

• Part-time job terminating Jan 1, and definitely want to move elsewhere (currently live in Boston)
• Have $5000 savings. Will probably also be able to continue receiving unemployment (about $1,000 month) if I move out of state (but not country, obviously)

• Age 30. US Citizen.
• Languages: English, Russian
• Skills: Writing and editing, visual art, Russian translation (but no graduate-level degrees to show this)
• BA from Liberal Arts college + semester (2 terms) at Oxford

Any and all reasonable options considered.

• Preferred urban environment: vibrant arts scene, inspiring architecture, not overrun with college students or sports fanatics, ethnically and age-ally diverse
• 'Ideal' destinations: Montreal, France
• Hypothetical order of preference: 1. Montreal & France (tie) 2. EU, Scandinavia, & Turkey 3. Eastern Europe 4. USA & Canada 5. South America 6. Asia 7. Australia/New Zealand 8. other

• Preferred rural environment: the more (interesting) people around, the better

• "unusual living situations" = housesitting - caretaking - living in some cabin - (earnest) meditative community - collective farm - kibbutz - teaching abroad - or anything else

• If it's helpful to know— the project is of a literary nature (a novel and other writings)

Finally, what are the very best resources (books, websites, magazines, etc) that might be of help?

Broke and Drunk in Montreal. Help.

Anonymous — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:00:20 -0800

Broke and Drunk in Montreal. Help. Things are rough. My lifelong romance with booze has really gone sour. After a few feeble attempts at getting my act together, I’ve decided I really need help.

Problem is, I’m not sure where to turn. Everything I’ve learned about AA sounds really repulsive, and the prospect of talking to a shrink makes me want to barf. I know that being sort of a misanthrope is part and parcel with my alcoholism, but everything I’ve seen or learned of the experience of getting sober makes my stomach churn, both literally and figuratively.

Drinking is basically destroying me. Booze has infiltrated and poisoned every facet of my life: friends, family, finances, and my relationship with my girlfriend. I haven’t been to a doctor in about a decade, but I’m sure at this point my liver is looking like a decomposed squirrel. I used to think of myself as somewhat bright, but I’m seriously starting to feel that drinking heavily since I was about seventeen (I’m now thirty-four, yikes) has turned my brain to mush.

Also: I’m broke. I just moved to Montreal for grad school, and as you can imagine being a mostly-unemployed student and aspiring writer with massive debts—along with the expenses of a daily drinking habit—does not leave much money or leisure time left to check into a posh rehab facility. Actually, it leaves zero. As you can imagine, the combination of being a wasted lush and being monetarily fucked is not so good for an already crushed ego, leaving one longing for the temporary relief provided by drinking.

The positive side of it is that my girlfriend and closest friends are pretty supportive and understanding, but I know they’re losing patience as I continually fail to clean up my act. I’ve made an appointment to meet with a counselor through university, but that’s weeks away and I’m feeling pretty distraught. I’ve never been to therapy or anything like that before, and even calling to make that appointment drove me to tears.

What can I do? Can I get help that actually helps and doesn’t make me even more cynical and depressed? Is there a program that actually works and is accessible to a poor-ass schmoe like me? To be somewhat coarse: is there an AA for cool people? I’d love to hear anyone’s experiences of addiction treatment that actually inspires me to think positively and not wallow in self-pity. And to try and actually enjoy quitting drinking, rather than feeling like I’m being punished. Or is that completely the wrong attitude to take? But please: no lectures or platitudes. Real, concrete advice. Thanks.

Where to go for a fancypants Montreal dinner on short notice?

alleycat01 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:47:35 -0800

Where to go for a fancypants Montreal dinner on short notice? Details inside... Hi Montreal MiFites! On short notice, my boyfriend and I are taking a long weekend trip to Montreal (the weekend after this one). Boyfriend wants to do a nice dress-up dinner one night, and neither of us has been to Montreal before, so I'd love your suggestions on where we should go. The main criteria are:

- He'll be wearing a suit and I'll be in a dress, so somewhere where we won't look stupid or out-of-place in our fancypants duds
- Preferably not insanely expensive. We'll probably do a shared appetizer, bottle of wine (... we tend to pick from on the lower end of the cost scale on these), and 2 entrees, MAYBE a shared dessert but only if dinner portions are small and we're still hungry. With tax & tip, it'd be great if this would cost around or under $150. (What is tax there, anyway?)
- Sadly we're not bilingual, so somewhere where the waiters are ... and, uh, bonus if we can read the menus
- We can still get a reservation (or don't need one) for a Friday or Saturday night
- Preferably French-influenced food, or at least something that's not a total import to Canada (no Chinese restaurants, etc).
- Totally open to BYOs as well, if you think that might be a good bet.

I keep reading about the apparent amazingness that is Au Pied du Couchon and I'd LOVE to try it, but it seems like a non-dressy place. We're usually pretty casual dressers/eaters, but since Boyfriend suggested it this time around I'd like to honor that thought. (Or do you think I'm wrong and PDC would work?) We'll be staying in the downtown area, but we do have a car & can drive if needed.

Is this doable, Montre-fites? What are your suggestions? Other thoughts on things we MUST do that weekend are also welcome, though I know there are tons of other threads on this subejct. Our current plans are just to relax in cafes, hang out, and eat poutine. Thanks, all!

Don't make me take a switch to you, sir!

Phalene — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 06:37:52 -0800

Last minute costume in Montreal question: Where in this large Canadian city can I beg, buy, borrow or steal any of the following for a western themed costume party? A pair of bloomers, a large straw hat and a toy/replica rifle to size, or a toy six gun? Or really, any other costume props suitable for Victorian/western wear? I got invited to the social event of the season, a western themed costume party, and being a playful crowd, there's a prize for the best in character roleplay. My date has a agreed to go as a bandit, and I'm going as a school marm turned bounty hunter, and we're going to make racy jokes all evening about how he stole my heart and my dress, ideally while I chase him around in (fully modest) Victorian undergarments with a yard stick.

However there's no time to hand sew bloomers from scratch and while I have a perfect corset, I need to make the lower half of my body look appropriate. Hence, proper Victorian knickers, and any other prop to help me look more like a tough but prim lady, who seeing that the county was riddled with lawless brutes, decided to make it safe for little children to go to school, but was seduced by the worst bandit of them all.

Best sources are easily reached by metro (or foot from downtown), or it would be helpful to mention which bus to take from the nearest metro stop, along with the name of the store.

If all else fails, give me the addresses of your best thrift stores, the kind I can raid for convertable pieces.

Is there a regulation in Montreal setting a mimimum distance between bars?

ManInSuit — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 08:17:08 -0800

Is there a regulation in Montreal setting a mimimum distance between bars or restaurants? I’m doing some research on how different cities regulate the density of bars in different areas. I’ve come across a couple of sources that seem to mention, in passing, that there are regulations in the city (maybe just specific areas, maybe city wide) that specify that bars must be at least 75 metres (or 100 metres, or 50 metres) apart from each other.

While the sources I came across were reasonably reliable (two articles from the Gazette, and one mention in a document on the City Hall site), they all provided very little information, just in passing, and were also around 10 years old.

I want to find out something more definitive and/or more recent and/or more informative.

Can anyone point me to information about this? I’m hoping for something like the text of a specific bylaw that states the regulation- that would be amazing. But less definitive stuff would be helpful too: a newspaper article that states plainly that such a regulation existss, or even a blog where someone gives some detail about it. I’ve put tons of time into trying to find something, but have been coming up blank.

Any help or suggestions would be very much appreciated.

(And – if anyone has information on similar regulations in Montreal – not specifically minimum-distance requirements, but general restrictions on where bars can be – that would be helpful, too… But the distance regulation is the main thing I’m trying to track down).

What's the score?

fantasticninety — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:33:56 -0800

Does anyone know the prescise locations where "The Score" was shot in Montreal? Google Maps links would be ideal. Thank you! There really isn't anything else to add. I'm watching the movie tonight, I like Montreal a lot, but I can't figure out exactly where the film is shot.

Teach Me, Montreal!

Laura in Canada — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 06:44:54 -0800

What can I learn? (On a semi-flexible schedule). I'm in Montreal & would like to take a class in something. My problem is this: I feel like learning something new, but whenever I see a local/ community class that interests me, the date/time is usually inconvenient. I would love to have a list of instuctors (teaching either small groups or one-on-one would be ideal) of a wide range of topics who I could just call & set up a series of lessons. I would love to find a small class or even one-on-one where I could be a little more flexible (i.e. if I had to miss a class, I could reschedule with enough notice & not lose any lessons). For example, my boyfriend recently started taking guitar lessons & several time both he & the instuctor have rescheduled, but he will still have 14 lessons.

I also, like most people, have varied interests. I would like to take a class now, & when it finishes in a few months, maybe take a class in something else (not wait 6 months for the new community guide with a limited range & pre-selected dates).

I've thought about taking classes in: stained glass, French, photography, lampwork, pottery, vegetarian cooking, jewelry making... but please, I'd love recommendations for everything I can learn in Montreal; a website would be ideal, but a name & phone number would be good too (preferably with a price range).

Thanks in advance.

P.S. I live on the island & do not have a car, so unless it's a workshop, nothing off-lsland, thanks.

Things to do in Montreal - V2.0

FusiveResonance — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 06:45:46 -0800

Will be in Montreal from Wed. to Sat. of this week. Places to visit, places to eat, places to shop, ... you get the idea. This is v2.0 of this thread here

Please add on your recommendations and 2 cents.

Bonus points for 24hr parking recommendations. We are staying around Peel & Sherbrooke W.

B&B in Montreal (The Plateau)

terrapin — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:22:39 -0800

Looking for reasonably-priced bed and breakfast in Montreal, preferably in The Plateau. Turtlegirl and I are looking for a weekend get-away to celebrate our 7th anniversary. Some friends who live in Montreal suggested The Plateau but do not have a recommendation for a specific B&B in the neighbourhood. Looking for recommendations for reasonably-priced places that are clean. First-hand experience preferred, and not just a list of places, please Thanks!.

How to best be prepared

Tequila Mockingbird — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:48:49 -0800

I'm looking to rent an apartment in Montreal (Plateau area) coming from the US - so, lacking a Canadian credit score, Canadian references, etc. Should I be saving up to pay several months of rent from the start? Is it a common practice? Also, what could I do or bring with me during the apartment hunt to look as polished as possible? I'd have a temporary worker permit, so I'd be able to show a letter from my employer. Check. I'm not sure what else, though.

The headaches of moving before moving

Tequila Mockingbird — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:29:39 -0800

What is the best method for moving several furniture pieces from L.A. to Montreal? (And an add-on about getting my car there, too.) Our L.A. office has a branch in Montreal, and recently the option to transfer over for a year or two has been made available. It's fantastic, because my boyfriend lives there and will attend Concordia - which is 5 minutes from our Montreal location. It seems perfect.

I'm willing to purge as much of my stuff as possible, but I do have furniture, barely a year old, I'm just unwilling to let go of:

* The World's Most Comfortable Couch,
* its matching armchair,
* and a beautifully designed dining table+4 chairs set.

(I'm torn when it comes to my 50 gallon aquarium+stand - that system was a big investment.)

What would be the cheapest but most reliable option? I've found uShip on another AskMe about a cross-country move, and I'll be taking a closer look for sure. But there might be other ideas I'm not aware of.

Car add-on: 2007 Honda CRV, approaching 20k miles - find a vehicle transport, or drive it over? (As convinced as I am about being able to get around by foot, bike, or public transit, I'd love to explore beyond the city on my own, at any given moment. Plus, visiting friends who live further away.)

Huge decision for me and I still haven't made my mind up 100%, so I'm hoping that having some of these things explained will help. Thanks guys :)

Mystery male organ pains (NSFW)

Anonymous — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:32:18 -0800

Mystery male organ pains (NSFW). Doctors I've seen before couldn't figure out the cause. What could it be and who should I see about this in Montreal, Quebec? I've had pain for the last six years in the area near the base of my penis (not on the shaft). It feels irritated constantly and I can't ride a bike. It also takes me a while to lose my erection after sex or masturbation. I'm not sure if that part is related or normal but the last woman I was with was surprised that I kept an erection for a while after orgasm.

This pain scares me and I know it's not normal, so every couple of years, I've gone to the doctor to have it checked out. I've had a few doctors in two different states look at it. Now I live in Canada. While I still lived in the states last year, I had tons of tests done including two different types of ultrasounds. The urologist also stuck a needle in my shaft to check for priapism. He said that high-flow prapism was a possiblity. I've had to urinate frequently my whole life (but I also drink a lot of liquids). The doctor said my prostate looked fine but I'm not sure what kind of tests they did. I had the glove test done tons of times. Because I also had pain in my lower-right abdomen/stomach at the time (which might have been caused by anxiety and stress from a major, sudden and unwanted life change forced upon me at the time), he sent me to a colorectal specialist. I had a colonoscopy done. The doctor who administered the test told me everything was normal, the doctor who ordered the test said it was abnormal. He told me I might have Crohn's disease or ulcerative collitis.

The pains in my stomach have mostly subsided since my life has settled down a bit but the pains at the base of my penis (could this be my prostate?) remain. I'm not sure how to approach this further with doctors. I'm not going to lie- this has been a constant fright for me but I spent roughly $10,000 in the U.S. (out of pocket after insurance) on tests and nobody up to this point has been able to come up with a solid diagnosis of the cause. Nobody has been able to provide a working treatment so I had to stop seeing doctors because I couldn't afford it anymore. I was put on Flomax for a short while and it cured the frequent urination but I don't think I was on it long enough to see if it would help with the pain.

What could this be? Who can I see about this in Montreal, Quebec? I am 26 years old, scared, and my mother says "don't be ridiculous- you're too young to have prostate cancer." I am covered by RAMQ. How difficult would it be to get another prescription for Flomax here? Could I get into trouble for this being a pre-existing condition?

Things to do in Montreal

fourcheesemac — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:28:00 -0800

Things to do in Montreal and vicinity, next week? Going to be in Montreal Tuesday to Friday of next week. Anyone local or familiar with the town have any suggestions of good stuff going down? Good places to eat, good museum exhibits (contemporary art, especially), decent day hikes near the city, fun walks, and (given my interests) any sort of First Nations/indigenous events, exhibitions, etc. within driving distance . . . Thanks in advance!

Movers: Ottawa-Montreal

Lemurrhea — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 17:30:54 -0800

Moving from Ottawa to Montreal - looking for a recommendation for a good mover (or movers I should not use). I will be moving to Montreal at the end of the summer. I do not have a lot of stuff; the move is from a bachelor to a 1 bedroom. Does anyone know of any good movers who service these two locations? Alternatively, are there any movers I should NOT use?

please tell there is an alternative to Future Shop...

hector horace — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:10:17 -0800

Anyone know where I can get an HDMI cable in Montreal for under $30? I really don't want to pay Future Shop or Canadian Tire $30 for what I know is a $10 HDMI cable. Does anyone know a brick and mortar shop in Montreal that fits the bill? (Yes, I know I can get it for cheaper online but my new TV is getting here TODAY!)

thanks

Help me identify an anyonymous techno-opera diva

tabubilgirl — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:17:13 -0800

Who was the Unknown Techno-Opera Diva at the Canada Day concert at the Old Port in Montreal? My parents attended the Canada Day evening concert at the Old Port in Montreal this year. On the bill was a techno-opera singer who was anonymous at the concert, and seems to be listed as "anonymous diva" and "unknown" on all the official - and unofficial - materials I can find about the event.
My parents loved her music and want more.
Can anyone identify her?

Skype Ultra-Lite

nosila — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:04:12 -0800

Hi there. I'm living in Montreal and just got an Android-based phone (HTC Dream) through Rogers. I'm trying to use Skype Lite, which would be like a dream come true...if it worked. Help, please! I'd like to use Skype Lite to call internationally. Should be a breeze, right? I got the Skype Lite app, installed it, signed in, and everything looks fine. My contacts are all there, etc.

It works by dialing a local number (in Montreal, supposedly) and then somehow magically connecting to Skype via that number so that I am only using local minutes that I've paid for on my phone plan.

The trouble is that when I try to actually make a call, it tells me it's dialing a local number to connect to Skype. It then dials this number: +1813xxxxxxx

According to Google (who clearly rules my life even more now that I have an Android phone), this is a Florida area code.

Then, I get the following message:

"The number you have called is not assigned. Please check the number and try your call again."

My call is then terminated, and I didn't even get to say hello. The location in my Skype profile is set to Montreal. I have no idea how to change the number that it calls to a local Montreal number. Skype has notoriously bad customer service, so no help there. Next step is to try Rogers, but I know exactly how that will go.

Anyone out there have any insight or ideas on this one? Thanks in advance!

Montreal move in two weeks and so disconnected

nosila — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:42:54 -0800

I'm moving to Montreal (!) from the U.S. and need help with the tech-side of my move. Specifically, I'm seeking internet/cell phone provider recommendations. I'm having a hard time choosing an internet and a cell provider in Montreal. Can anyone with experience recommend either or both? I'll be there for at least three years and am willing to sign a contract for cell/internet if the terms are good. I would like to spend no more than about $75/month for either one, and cheaper is, of course, always better.

Internet: I do a lot of uploading/downloading because I collaborate with people on audio projects via the internet, so I use sort of a lot of bandwidth. I'd say 50 GB/month is the minimum. For the same reason, I require a pretty fast connection to maintain my sanity. I don't plan on having a land line, so cable is probably my best option, though I'm open to others.

Right now I'm thinking either Skynet, which looks pretty great, or Vidéotron, whose website is currently down for maintenance. (This does not bode well for them.)

Cell service: Is anyone in Quebec happy with theirs? I will probably be using Skype to call the U.S. and make calls at home, but I definitely need a cell plan as well. I don't need tons of minutes; 250-500 or so should suffice. I'm thinking of getting a Blackberry or, more likely, an iPhone, so info on good data plans would be nice also.

So far, Fido looks like the best option for me. Does anyone have experience with them? Other recommendations? I've read forum threads, etc., but I trust you guys the most.

Any other helpful info on moving to Montreal, logistical or otherwise, would be a lovely bonus. Thanks so much!

Mounties - check. Beaver tails - check. Now what do we do?

dismitree — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:11:00 -0800

CanadaDayinOttawaFilter: What are the Don't Miss activities and attractions in Ottawa on Canada Day? Bonus points for additional recommendations for things to do on the drive to and in and around Montreal on July 2nd & 3rd? I've got a buddy in from the U.K. and we're going on a good old North American road trip. We're getting into Ottawa the evening of June 30th - after a day of whitewater rafting - with the intent of spending Canada Day in the nation's capitol. I've been to Ottawa a couple times, but the last time was twelve years ago. I've seen the official schedule but am wondering what else is there? What's good, what's lame? Etc. Activities which include nature, music, culture, food, and drinking are all good activities.

Thanks in advance and let me know if I can provide further detail.

What's happening in Montreal this weekend?

ajliberto — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:27:21 -0800

What's happening in Montreal this weekend? So I'm driving up to Montreal this weekend from Boston with a couple of first timers (I was there once before). I am hoping to get some suggestions for some exciting times for artsy/designy/musiciany twenty-somethings who are into openings, live music, dance parties, etc... We're staying in the plateau, but have a car, so we can get around a bit. Oh, and I've been keeping an eye on stilepost.ca, so anything in addition to that would be awesome!

How can I find all the businesses around a location?

OLechat — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 06:49:31 -0800

I need to find all the businesses around a specific location near Montreal. The Yellow Pages and Google Maps both ask for keywords, but I don't want to narrow down my search. How can I do this?

Dyke seeks suit.

Anonymous — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:34:30 -0800

Lesbian seeks men's (or men's-like) suit in Montréal ASAP. Other non-location-specific genderqueer shopping advice appreciated. I need a suit by the weekend and am a terrible shopper. Where can I get something that will fit nicely and not make me look like a kid playing dressup in her father's closet? Can I get something tailored that fast? What (preferably) Canadian retailers are good for androgynous but sexy women?

(Anon because I'm pretty out, but not entirely out.)