Plougastel Bakery Café

After snapping some photos in Little Italy, I met a friend for late breakfast. We headed over to her latest find and currently her favorite lunch spot in the area, the "Plougastel: Boulangerie - Patisserie". It's actually a bakery and quaint café combined. My friend introduced me to the friendly owner and he was very enthusiastic and proud to show me all the baked goods on display. The "baker" was nearby and he explained to me that they only used natural ingredients - nothing artificial and that everything was baked, by him, on the premises. The address is: 6527 St. Laurent Blvd./corner Beaubien. See you there and bon café !

Milano in Little Italy

Milano at 6882 Saint-Laurent Boulevard is in the heart of Montreal's "Little Italy" or " La Petite Italie" in French. Come here for your specialty Italian cheeses ( like real mozzarella di bufala ! ), olive oils and fresh homemade pasta and everything else Italian ! Coffees, canned tomatoes, whatever. This is where I bought my Bialetti Moka Express Stovetop Espresso Pot. It's wonderful.

Totem Urbain/Histoire en Dentelles

Sculpture/installation in brass, aluminium and glass by Pierre Granche (1991-92). It's tucked away very discreetly on the side entrance of the McCord Museum of Canadian History... 690 Sherbrooke St. West, corner Victoria Street. If you enter and exit the museum at the main entrance, you'll surely miss this little gem.

Urban Art by arteVISTA

I didn't understand this display at all but the bright colors and the fun and easy mood of this mural caught my attention. After Googling it, I discovered that this is part of the arteVISTA project, whose goal is to beautify Montreal's urban landscape and to promote Quebec artists in the process. This colorful mural at the corner of St-Urbain/de la Gauchetiere Streets (in the heart of Chinatown) is a giant reproduction of Quebec artist Siris' painting "Triporfleur". Note that a "graffiti artist" has also added his touch to this display.

Habitat 67

Habitat 67 is a housing complex that was built as part of Expo 67, the world's exhibition, that was held here in Montreal. It was designated to accommodate the visiting dignitaries. It is Montreal's "prefabricated city" that was created by Moshe Safdie. It is sited on a peninsula that juts out into the St.Lawrence River and is rewarded with one of the best views of the Old Port of Montreal. I took this photo this afternoon while taking a stroll in the "Old Port". Taking photos under heavy cloud cover and light showers and a brisk breeze blowing are not ideal conditions for a point-and-shoot photographer like myself. So, I did the best I could.

The Westmount Square

The "Westmount Square" is a complex of four "skyscrapers" located in Westmount, Quebec, Canada. This project, designed by the world renown Bauhaus architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, is a modern complex with office towers, terrace and shopping concourse. It was opened on December 13, 1967. The absolute beauty of this location is that it is connected to the Alexis Nihon Plaza, Dawson College and our underground "Metro" all by a tunnel. Unfortunately, I was unable to take a better photo but, here is a better photo taken from a different angle/perspective.

Westmount Conservatory

This the Westmount Conservatory; the Victorian greenhouse that was constructed alongside the Westmount Public Library in commemoration of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee (founded in 1899 and designed by Canadian architect Robert Findlay). This lovely glass structure houses a fountain and a vast array of flowering plants all year round. And it is still in use and is open to the public. It's the perfect place to bring your brownbag lunch and a book !

Grand Seminaire de Montreal

Founded and built by the Fathers of the Saint Sulpician Order, who became the seigneurs over Montreal in 1663, this former seminary is a historic site located on Sherbrooke Street West between Fort and Atwater Streets. This was the second seminary built in Montreal by the Sulpicians; the first one can be seen next door to the Basilica Notre-Dame in Old Montreal. Today, this massive set of fieldstone buildings is a private college run by the order, and tours can be arranged to visit this site. Look for the distinctive stone turrets along Sherbrooke Street near Fort Street.
Photos: Front, Left Turret and Right Turret

Place des Arts

Walking around on one of the pathways that surround the (PdA) Place des Arts in downtown Montreal, even on a cool April day like today is fun. There is always something happening here. This is the arts center of Montreal. The Salle Wifrid-Pelletier, one of the venues that houses the performing arts/music/opera events, is the building on the left. The Musee d'Art Contemporain de Montreal that has all the funky and interesting art work is on the right. The building in the middle of the photo is the Complexe Desjardins (hotel and shopping). Note the stylish lighting structures that line the walkway, looking like dancing figures in celebration. Only in Montreal, my hometown !