McGill University

Having been at McGill for almost a year and a half now, I have become accustomed to the surroundings of endless books at the library, some scaffolding here and there, and the archaic vibe the rusted buildings give off. However, walking through the Roddick Gates and onto campus, I looked up and for some reason, I couldn't stop thinking about how beautiful the school actually is. Like I said before, since I have been here I have learned to overlook most things that once impressed me, including the gorgeous buildings that have stood in their place for over a hundred years.

To start off, the history of McGill is very interesting. Founded in 1821 by James McGill, a prominent Merchant from Scotland, McGill is one of the oldest universities in Canada, having been established 46 years before the Canadian Confederation. The university sits on 79 acres, divided into two campuses, one smackdab in the middle of downtown Montreal on one on the West Island; it also has 29 faculties and offers degrees in over 300 areas.

Interesting facts on the university include it didn't become academically active until 1829, there are almost 215,000 living almuni worldwide, and a range of students and professors receiving notable recognitions ranging from Nobel prizes to Olympic medals. The university has also had historic competitions with various other Canadian schools, including a rowing competition with Queen's, a soccer tournament with the "old four" (Queen's, Western, and UofT), etc.

The university today is ranked 17th in the world, which is quite a prestigious title. I personally love how in the summer, the Arts building has a flower bed in front of it shaped to Montreal's crest, that countless students sit on lower field doing work or chatting, and during the winter when the christmas lights are shining and the snow makes everything shimmer. To those who are not familiar with the school, I highly suggest that if you are ever in the city, take a quick walk through campus and look at the buildings, the students, and everything else the university has to offer. It's quite a nice break from city life.

Bell Centre

To anyone who has ever visited, lived, or studied in Montreal, they must have heard the term "Bell Centre" being thrown around a little. I am one of those people who have heard about the centre, but have never expressed an interest in learning more or seeing what it is used for (apart from Habs' games). However, that changed last week.

My friend Katrina and I booked tickets to see the Watch the Throne concert, featuring none-other than Kanye West and Jay-Z. The concert was held last Tuesday, November 22, and Montreal was surely blessed to have these performers since the city was added in a last minute change to the tour. Having witnessed how difficult it was to get tickets at a reasonable price (reasonable being lower than $100), I was fully aware that the concert was sold out and that the centre would be absolutely packed.

We walked over Tuesday night, joining the crowds that were all slowly making their way to the centre, located at the intersection of Drummond and Rene-Levesque. In front of the centre were four statues of Montreal Canadiens' legends including the only name I was familiar with, Maurice Richard. The statues were quite intricate and there was a little bit of information about each player written into them as well. Right before one walks in, there is a line of t-shirts with numbers on it; I'm not sure if they signified the players that are currently on the team or retired numbers representing the all-time best players.

After waiting another 20min for the gates to open, we were allowed into the stadium where we were welcomed with tons of vendors selling everything from extremely overpriced shirts to even more extremely overpriced beer, drinks, and food. However, the halls were lined with photos of performers who had once upon a time blessed the centre with a performance. As we walked along the halls, there were team photos of the Habs, dating back to the 30s! Although the only player I was still capable of recognizing (Maurice Richard), it was very interesting to see how the team had changed over the decades that it has been playing hockey.

The stadium itself if quite large and holds thousands of people. Although Katrina and I were in the nosebleed section, we still had a great view of the stage and eventually the performers. It was nice to feel like we were sitting in seats that had been sat in by so many people, either watching the famous hockey players skate around their rink or scream to the lyrics of various artists that had stopped by to play.

Even if you don't feel the need to go to a concert or see a hockey game (or if you simply can't because, like me, I live off of a college student budget), just walk around the stadium when no events are taking place and look at what it has to offer. The history is quite captivating and you'll find that the Bell Centre is much more than it seems to be.

Garbage Day

When we first moved into our apartment, my roommates and I were presented with 3 things as we took our first steps into our new home: 1) a TON of trash, dirt, dust, dirty plates, moldy food, etc. that the old tenants had nicely left behind for us to clean, 2) a TON of old furniture that they failed to dispose of and felt the need to dump on us, and 3) a piece of paper stating the dates of the garbage/recycling pick up. We had our work spelled out quick frankly.

My roommates and I have since adjusted to the schedule of taking out trash (or the many times we say we will and forget or are just too lazy to do) and respectfully separating the recycling items for the wellness of the environment. However, the old tenants never wrote anything down about a certain little composting unit that was just down the street from us.

I have a roommate that is slightly a little more into the "wellness of the environment" than my other roommate and myself and she noted that we failed to have a compost to properly get rid of any food scraps we had left over. I myself have never had a compost, and was a little surprised that she suggested we start one since I had no idea where we would get rid of the contents. Surely one doesn't simply make a compost to throw everything in the garbage later.

As my roommate continued her spiel on how we should start composting, she mentioned a little composting unit that was only two blocks from our apartment (the corner of Duluth and Parc). Being the oblivious person I am, I realized that this little spot she was talking about was something I passed by every time I walked to school, and every time I returned. To my defense, the site is not something that immediately stands out and screams "BRING YOUR UNWANTED FOOD TO ME;" it just looks like two old gas tanks fenced in with some weeds and plants surrounding it with some random spray paint here and there. I went to the site and actually saw that there is a schedule when one can bring their old, unwanted scraps and that people actually manage the site very well.

I'm impressed that people have established such a site to help with the contemporary and growing "green" movement. I researched compost in Montreal to see if there were any more sites similar to the one and unfortunately didn't come up with too many results. However, although there are only a select few scattered across the city, there is a service that picks up your compost for only 5$ a month! (Compost Montreal) Now you can feel good about doing your share to help better the Earth :)

Treasure #6: Composting unit at the corner of Parc and Duluth

Le Cap Vert

It's always fun when someone you know decides to stop by in the city you live and take you out for a quick bite to catch up. However, the best part is always deciding where to eat! One thing that I absolutely love about Montreal is that the places where one can eat are endless. Anything from a little cafe to a large franchise and everything in between can be found within the streets of the city. Although my goal is to try out every restaurant, I know this is unreasonable so I can only say that I've been to the spare few restaurants that I can afford on a student budget. To reiterate, this is why it's great when people come and take you out.

The people who stopped by were old family friends from back home (Connecticut) who came up to celebrate the birthday of their boss. I met up with them at around noon and conducted a brief tour of McGill and it's grounds until we found ourselves walked down McGill College towards Sainte Catherine's. My friend had suggested a small little bistro named Le Cap Vert, telling me that it had wonderful food that everyone could enjoy.

As we walked in, the small bistro gave off a lovely scent of freshly baked goods which heightened our hunger even more. We sat down and received the menu, which luckily enough was bilingual. Most of the family ordered a Croque Monsieur while I had a smoked salmon sandwich with some french fries on the side. As we sat chit-chatting and catching up, the food finally arrived and I was pleasantly surprised with what was presented on the plates. Surprisingly, the sandwiches were all made with pita bread and the fries were extremely crispy, which might not suit others but is a style I absolutely love. Some of the other members sitting at the table had chicken (which was also given a good rating), and the Croque Monsieurs which were delightful as well. None of us managed to finish our plates and we were all quite full as we walked outside the door.

Although the bistro isn't Zagat rated or said to be the best in the world, I definitely suggest to those who enjoy a simple lunch to go and check it out. With great prices, great food, and a great atmosphere, who wouldn't want to?

Treasure #5: The bistro Le Cap Vert

ALDO

As a college student, one is supposed to start adding more experiences onto his/her resumé in an effort to help their future chances of getting a job (and gain a little extra cash). This for me was particularly difficult to do while living in Montreal because I am one of those unlucky people who doesn't speak French. I've attempted to get a job anywhere from a clothing boutique to an ice cream shoppe and nothing has come out in my favor SO in an attempt to gain experience I applied for an internship at ALDO Group.

My internship started the first week of school and I was very excited to start since I, like most other women in the world, have a slight obsession with shoes. Day 1 was very exciting as I have never worked in retail before and working in the business sector was new to me as well. However, I was expecting a normal office building sitting in the middle of downtown Montreal where everyone is too busy with their work to interact with each other. Once I arrived I knew that I was certainly under the wrong impression.

After the 30min metro and 20min bus ride, I walked up to a very pristine looking building with the word ALDO etched into the stone at the the top of the three story building. You could see from the outside that the building was symmetric, cut right through the middle. Walking in, one immediately notices that glass ceiling that allows an immense amount of light to highlight the buildings lovely features. The wooden floors also gave the office a "homey" feeling; stone stairways on each side of the main hall connected in the middle to form small bridges basically which gives the building an immediate sense of contemporary and modern design.

The building is also saturated with art; there are an infinite amount of paintings lining the halls of the building, along with various statues and random objects such as mini coopers and Dugati motorcycles! There are lines of glass beads hanging from the ceiling, starting from the entrance all the way to the back wall of the building. The overall design and structure of the building is something that I look forward to seeing every time I go; the people working there must love to work in an "office" that is so creatively designed. The great part about working at ALDO is that there are shoes littered everywhere! Since ALDO Group is made up of many brands such as LOCALE, Little Burgundy, and Feet First as well as ALDO, the shoes are literally endless (you can check some of the new ones out here! http://www.aldoshoes.com/ca-eng). However, they are unfortunately not given out to employees for free :(

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it is possible to find office spaces that don't immediately drain the energy out of employees once they take a step into the building, and I can definitely say that it is much appreciated to work in an office where the atmosphere is friendly, and beautiful.

Treasure #4: The headquarters of ALDO Group

St. Laurent & Duluth

Many people know the street of St. Laurent as the place where one can go out, get a drink or go to a club, meet some very interesting people, etc. It's one of the "places to be" on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night - it's infested with tight dresses, high heels, undone ties, and bouncers that line the street from Sherbrooke all the way past Mont Royal. The lights and chaos attract people of all sizes and ages, including policemen who line the street attempting to prevent any potential trouble or "tiffs." As the night wears on, the crowds lessen, the noise dies down, and burnt out cigarettes and empty beer cans are all one can find one the street until the sun comes up to signal the next day.

However, we're going to ignore this part of St. Laurent and focus on the good, the "treasures."

Although the street is home to many shops, each selling different things (some a little more bizarre than others), there is one little corner which I would like to discuss as the topic of my third post. I live near the intersection of St. Laurent and Duluth and walk through it every time I go to class and have somehow managed to ignore a joyful little array of stores that inhabit the corner. In a world full of modern stores, fancy boutiques, and expensive designer trends, the corner of Duluth and St. Laurent is home to four fantastic vintage stores, each next to the other. The stores all have a certain sort of atmosphere that differentiates it from the others, which makes the experience of visiting them even more fun.


The things one can find in the stores is limitless - everything from old Playboy and LIFE magazines to farmer overalls and leather skirts can be found in between the racks. However, due to the recent return of the mindset of "vintage is back" has really helped these stores, and the hipsters of Montreal. I can say that I have even found items in the stores which I can wear without feeling that I belong in the 1970s or 80s. There is a very nice selection of shoulder bags and over-sized cardigans that anyone could use and still find trendy in the contemporary times. Apart from the clothing, there are many other items that relate to the aforementioned time period, such as old jewelry, furniture, glasses, and books. The wallpaper and layout of the store even reflects the time period and makes a customer feel that they've traveled through a time machine.

Although vintage stores are not something that every person would really have an interest in seeing or exploring, I highly suggest that if you have the time, take a look in the stores. They might be easy to pass by and neglect but you never know what sort of a "treasure" you can find once inside.

Treasure #3: The vintage stores at the corner of Duluth and Saint-Laurent

Metropolis

Over the summer, a bunch of my friends and I booked tickets to go see Skrillex, some DJ whom I have never heard of and to be quite honest wasn't too excited to see. But hey, my friends told me it would be fun so I splurged on the $35 ticket and decided to go anyways.

The concert was held last Friday (October 14) and we were all very excited to go. All the girls spent about an hour or two making sure that their outfits were perfectly tailored to the "it looks like I didn't try but I actually spent two hours on this outfit" theme and we headed to the concert at around 10:45.

Skrillex at Metropolis

We arrived at the venue, titled Metropolis, and were welcomed by a swarm of sweaty young adults yelling things in languages I didn't even know existed. It was a little overwhelming but the chaos and movement of everything got me more excited to see what was inside. As we walked in the building (located at 59 Ste. Catherine's St.), I immediately notice (despite the massive herd of drunk people) that the building itself is beautiful. Once you walk into the main hall, there is a huge "dance floor" and a stage with spiraling staircases on either side that lead up to the balcony. The venue is great for anything, from concerts to parties to professional gatherings. The building kind of reminded me of an old 1920's hall where people would swing dance and host balls (although it might be a little too small for that!) or where an opera could be hosted.

Regardless, the concert ended up being very entertaining and fun and I'm glad I went. The building itself added a lot to the experience since you could see the performer from anywhere on the balcony. If you'd like to check it out on your own or see if there are any events that you'd like to see, click here to see their website. I did a little research and noted that most of the events are definitely cheap enough for the average college student to attend so I highly suggest you take a look! Metropolis has hosted over 600+ performers since it's acquisition by L'Équipe Spectra in 1997 including Billy Idol, Coldplay, David Bowie, John Mayer, and The Styx.


With the changing times and the changing of people's tastes, people often forget to notice the little pieces of beauty that are located everywhere in Montreal. So, note to self, and to anyone in Montreal, keep your eyes open. You just might be missing a beautiful thing.

Treasure #2: Metropolis

Moving In

So, I have spent one year plus a few weeks in Montreal and found myself living in a bubble for the majority of that time. Since moving into my first apartment at the beginning of this school year, I have noticed that there is just such an incredible amount of "stuff" that the city has to offer; restaurants, museums, shops, a great place for people watching, etc. Basically, it encompasses a little bit of everything.

The purpose of this blog is to inform anyone who is interested about what I have found to do/see/eat in Montreal and what my critique or appraisal of my experience is. Since I'm new to my explorations, I am deciding to start from the very beginning...

One word: Craigslist. Although this website is known for scams and some infamous serial killer, we are going to ignore that and focus on the amazing things that it has to offer. For me and my roommates, we resorted to the site for a couch. We have been living in an apartment, offering people to sit on a wooden bench when we decided we were in the mood to entertain. Obviously, this was in need of a drastic shift to the soft cushioning of a couch.

The first treasure I want to blog about is how very generous some people in Montreal can be. My personal experience with craigslist in Montreal brought me to two leather couches, a set that was originally priced at $1500, but what we bought for the simple sum of $200. My skepticism meter ran high when I saw the price but I decided to check it out and was pleased to find that there are sincere, genuine people in Montreal who will sell you their beautiful couches for an unbelievable price.

So, to all of you who have decided that craigslist is not something you want to venture into, I say change your mind. Give a chance to the people of Montreal (and what they are selling)...you might just find yourself a "jewel" in the haystack.

Treasure #1: Montreal's genuine people / craigslist

New blog!

Excited to start writing the "chronicles" :) stay tuned!