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TIFFANY CO. OPENS IN MONTREAL

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Good things come in little packages, and that’s especially true if it comes in a little blue box from Tiffany’s brand new flagship store in Montreal. As you enter under the store’s crisp blue awnings, it’s immediately clear why shopping at Tiffany Co. is a special experience…

Located on the corner of De La Montagne and Sherbrooke, Tiffany Co. occupies the western corner of the Ritz-Carleton Hotel. The prime 2000 square foot store pays homage to the Fifth Avenue location in New York, with Art-Deco stainless steel trimmed doors, etched mirrors and glass vitrines. It’s no wonder that the jeweler is celebrating 175 years of design excellence- and we haven’t even started talking about the jewelry yet!

While the silver leaf and plush carpet are exquisite, they act only as a backdrop for the true woks of art that lay within the brightly lit displays. From classic Tiffany keys, new and alluring Rubedo metal, to the timeless Tiffany setting diamond rings, the store has something for every taste, and dare I say, every budget.

Tiffany’s Montreal Director Jean-Christophe Requero hopes that this store will become part of Montreal’s dynamic cultural landscape for locals and visitors to enjoy. He further explained that when someone opens up a Tiffany blue box, they really feel the history and magic of Tiffany’s, and become apart of their 175-year legacy.

While I have yet to test his theory, hopefully I’ll be able to one day. Until then, I’ll grab my Tim Hortons, do my best Hepburn, and have Breakfast at Tiffany’s….

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THE DETAILS

Tiffany Co., 1290 Sherbrooke West, (514) 842-6953

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When it comes to green spaces, Vancouver has some heavy hitters.  There’s 1,000-acre Stanley Park, always tops on visitors to-do lists.  Not to mention the world-class VanDusen Botanical Garden and classically elegant Queen Elizabeth Park.

But there are also hundreds of smaller parks in the city that offer their own charms and rewards.   Some of these – like tiny Emery Barnes Park in Yaletown – are neighbourhood gems that relatively few people know about.  Others – like Oppenheimer Park in Strathcona – are well known and loved but rarely get the praise they deserve.

The common denominator is that these parks, although relatively small, pack a big punch.  They have a great community feel, offer a quick getaway from the hustle-bustle of the city, and showcase Vancouver at its finest – lush, green, fresh and friendly.  So, I’d like to hear from you:

What’s your favourite “little” park in Vancouver?  Please share your picks by commenting below.  (For the record, you can define “little” however you’d like.  The idea is that these parks might not be on everyone’s radar).

I’ll start things off with a classic Vancouver park I visited over the weekend, Trout Lake.

At 27.3 hectares, Trout Lake isn’t exactly “little,” but it does have an intimate, community feel.  The park, dominated by a large, shallow lake, is situated in the Commercial Drive neighbourhood, in the middle of a very densely packed residential district.  In fact, part of its appeal is that it’s kind of a pleasant surprise – a glimpse of grass, trees and water right in the midst of the city.

There are rolling hills, ball fields and basketball courts, but the real draw at Trout Lake is the lake itself.  It’s the perfect size for walking around (a loop takes around 20 minutes).  Dirt paths wind around the shore and special wooden pathways slice through marshland and reeds to the water’s edge.  Along the way you’re sure to see an abundance of ducks (mallards, coots, buffleheads and more), seagulls and especially crows, which seem to roost here in the evening.  There’s also a small beach.

Another big perk is the brand new Trout Lake Community Centre, which Dana wrote about in a recent post.  Among other perks: a fitness centre, full gym, steam room, even an ice rink.

Do you have a favourite “little” park?  A quick escape from the urban grind?  Let us know!

Article source: http://www.insidevancouver.ca/2012/02/22/vancouvers-best-little-park-you-make-the-call/

Cheap beer, cheap caesars, live music at your favourite apres spot!

TUESDAY SPECIALS
$12 Menu
$5.75 sgl and $7.75 dbl caesars
$14 jugs of Bud

WEDNESDAY SPECIALS
$14 jugs of Kokanee Gold and Whistler Whiskey Jack
$15 Full rack of ribs
$5.75 sgl and $7.75 dbl caesars

From open (11am) ’til close!

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BELGIAN GUEST CHEF DELIGHTS TOQUE! DINERS

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Montreal’s High Lights Festival centers heavily on food, as dozens of guest chefs descend on the city to show off their skills at different host restaurants. This year, Belgium has been chosen as the main theme and the chef representing his countrymen as the festival’s honorary president is Yves Mattagne, who owns the two-Michelin-star Seagrill, in Brussels, among other restaurants…

As is customary, the High Lights’ leading man was invited to serve multi-course tasting menus showcasing his cuisine at Toqué!, the city’s top fine cuisine address. After two consecutive nights of intense work, on Saturday both the visitting and the hosting teams seemed happy with what they’d accomplished and with how quickly they’d synched. “He’s one of the best ones we’ve ever hosted,” says Toqué! chef Charles-Antoine Crête. “Super nice, but also super professional and hard-working.”

On his end, chef Mattagne confessed he was surprised to find such an enthusiastic brigade and extraordinary ingredients in Montreal, a city he’d never visited before. Unable to source things like langoustines or sole locally, or to import his own caviar, endives or carrots, Mattagne relied on Toqué’s chef-proprietor Normand Laprise to find suitable replacements. Laprise’s carrots, which he deemed “exceptional”,  were puréed and spiced with pepper then paired with a perfectly sautéed slice of foie gras. What did Mattagne think of the duck liver, also from Québec? Equally exceptional.

The best of the night’s dishes was a delicate layering of raw shrimp especially flown in from British Columbia, the jellied reduction of a broth made with their heads, and caviar. You might guess how the chef rated these sweet-fleshed wild shrimp: “extraordinaires!”. Served in a faux caviar tin, it was paired with a wonderfully crisp waffle flavoured with lime zest – a play on a Brussels classic, the gaufre de Bruxelles.

Thrilled to get his hand on top-notch scallops (“which are very rare where I come from”), Mattagne kept them raw, juxtaposing their sweet flesh with Japanese flavours: a squid ink meringue,  yuzu, sake. Another winner, although as far from Belgium as a dish can get.

The Mattagne dinners being the headliners of the festival, it was no surprise to see flourishes such as sauces being poured tableside. Waiters made the rounds with bowls of “thai mousseline”, to be spooned next to the lobster tails they accompanied, following that with a drizzle of “chlorophyll” sauce. The over-the-top factor? Tiny mushrooms brushed with gold.

The Nova Scotia halibut, cut thinly and pan-seared for a minute too long, paled in comparison to the other five courses containing fish or seafood, even if it was paired with the chef’s famous oyster béarnaise sauce (too soupy). It was one of very few bumps on the seafood-centric menu which only included one meat course: deliciously tender and ruby-fleshed Québec venison with a confit of endives, another Belgium specialty.

By far the most playful course was a play on the European après-ski classic fondue savoyarde. A bowl of melted cheese was spiked tableside with Kirsh out of an eyedropper, and came with toasted bread cubes on wodden sticks, for dipping. It beat, by far, the dessert that followed, which mixed dissonant flavours: mojito, coffee, lemon and nougat.

Overall, the Yves Mattagne menu was a success, even if short-lived. More importantly, these dinners were very much representative of the everyday Toqué! experience – co-owner Christine Lamarche greeting guests at the entrance, eager and well-trained young servers, expert wine advice from the sommelier Samuel Chevalier-Savaria and elaborate food prepared with the best and most carefully-sourced Canadian ingredients that money can buy.

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THE DETAILS

Hight Light Festival, February 16-26, 2012

Restaurant Toqué!, 900 Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle, (514) 499-2084

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Vancouver has a reputation as a beautiful city nestled between mountains and ocean.  But beneath that pretty exterior is some serious innovation.

Many people don’t realize that Vancouver is one of the biggest centres in Canada for Internet and gaming companies.  In fact, chances are good that today at least one of the apps you used, games you played or social media sites you visited originated in Vancouver.

Here’s a list of a few of Vancouver’s top consumer tech companies, in no particular order (I know I’ve left some out – Please add some more below):

Electronic Arts: EA is the video-game developer behind the hugely successful NBA Live, FIFA and NHL sports games, as well as The Sims and tons of other games.  Their oldest and largest studio is located in Burnaby and employs 2000 people. 

Flickr:  Nowadays, photo-sharing website Flickr is owned by California-based Yahoo.  But it originated in Yaletown.  Believe it or not, Flickr was launched way back in 2004, the brainchild of local developer Stewart Butterfield (For perspective, Facebook was still called The Facebook at that time and was available only at Harvard).  These days, Butterfield is working on an online game called Glitch.

Hootsuite: If you haven’t heard of Hootsuite, you should.  It’s an Internet-based tool for handling almost all of your social media in one place – everything from Twitter to Facebook.  They’re based in East Vancouver and now have three million users, including the NBA and Barack Obama.

East Side Games: Tech entrepreneur Jason Bailey founded this Vancouver studio that specializes in social and mobile games.  Among their hits are Slots for Facebook, Blaze Runner for the iPhone and their very popular (and slightly un-PC) game for Facebook called Pot Farm.

What are some other famous Vancouver tech companies, past or present?  Let us know below. 

Article source: http://www.insidevancouver.ca/2012/02/20/silicon-valley-north-vancouvers-most-famous-tech-companies/

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5 COFFEES IN 5 MONTREAL CAFES

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Montreal is known as a very European city. The pace, the architecture, the joie de vivre and the café culture and abundance of excellent coffees that comes with it. There are countless cafés to enjoy, but for authentic atmosphere and gourmet blends, here are 5 of the best…

Caffè in Gamba, in the heart of the Plateau’s Mile End district, is a relatively new addition to the list, but for the past few years owner Jean Francois has been pulling some of the best espressos this side of Italy. The café is a part of the Third Wave movement and specializes in espresso (of course), offering some of the world’s finest beans with respect to the Italian tradition. At Caffè in Gamba, you can expect world class beans from roasters like Canada’s own 49th Parallel, Intelligentsia, Zoka, Novo and Vergnano, as well as local beans roasted in Montreal. The coffee is brewed to perfection and served in the comfort of the plush café where you can sit at the bar or cozy up near the fireplace with your state of the art coffee.

Some of the finest coffee this city has to offer is just a short walk from Caffè in Gamba at Café Olimpico, which is nestled on the corner of St-Viateur and Waverly in Mile End. The café has been in business since 1970 and the name has since become synonymous with the best coffee in town. Café Olimpico is a landmark in Montreal and is known for its perfect coffees served in the authentic Italian café. The café itself has been run by the same family since it opened its doors decades ago. Every coffee they make is delicious, but the latte is the staple. The café itself is always packed to the rafters with regulars and nothing beats Café Olimpico in the summer when the terrace is open.

Heading North to Little Italy is a sure way to find a great cup of coffee. The gem of Little Italy is Caffè Italia on St-Laurent. The café opened in 1956 and like Café Olimpico, it’s an institution. There are usually clusters of men in their golden age playing cards and drinking coffee all day long. It’s also a popular lunch joint because they serve delicious sandwiches at a good price. Being at Caffè Italia feels like travelling back in time, the TV is the only clue that you haven’t found a wormhole to a classic cappuccino. Of course, I had the cappuccino and it was nothing short of perfection. The foam was frothy and thick and the coffee itself was bittersweet. This café is not to be missed.

Downtown Montreal also has lots of delicious coffee, you just need to know where to find it. Simply look for the throngs of people at Café Myriad and you’ll know you’re in good company. Café Myriad is a West Coast café bringing a relaxed, West Coast vibe to the heart downtown Montreal. It’s a scene for a younger crowd but that doesn’t mean that they don’t take coffee seriously. Café Myriad is considered one of the best new cafés in Montreal and it’s not hard to find out why. It’s always packed (it’s across the street from Concordia University) but the service is competent and the coffee (Ritual and 49th Parallel among others) is worth it. Magically, at Myriad they’ve got coffee down to a science, so it’s never burnt and always delicious. Go to Café Myriad for a pastry and one of their many varieties of coffee, or if you’re not in the mood for a caffeine, try their chocolate water (seriously).

Nocochi is a sleek and modern café/patisserie located on Sherbrooke and Mackay in downtown Montreal. They’re known for their fine selection of coffee and tea and their complimentary mini cookies that they pair with your coffee. The menu offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and of course dessert. Go to Nocochi to indulge. Everything at this café is made to perfection with a great attention to detail. I ordered a café mocha which was robust and sweet without being saccharine. This place knows how to do it, without over doing it.

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THE DETAILS

Caffè in Gamba, 5263 Parc, (514) 656-6852

Café Olimpico, 124 St-Viateur West, (514) 495-0746

Caffè Italia, 6840 St-Laurent, (514) 495-0059

Café Myriade, 1432 Mackay, (514) 939-1717

Nocochi, 2156 Mackay, (514) 989-7514

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In the winter of 1953, it rained in Vancouver for 28 consecutive days.  Not exactly 40 days and 40 nights – but pretty close.

This February has been a typically wet one in the city.  But never fear, spring is right around the corner (fingers crossed).  In the meantime, here are five, time-honoured ways to beat the rain in the city.

Got more rainy day ideas? Please comment below.

Bloedel Conservatory: It’s always a balmy, summer day inside this enormous bio-dome perched atop Queen Elizabeth Park.  Step inside and take off your raincoat for an instant vacation, with hundreds of tropical trees and plants, free-flying birds and more.  The price is right, too ($5 for adults).

Vancouver Aquarium: It never rains underwater.  This is Canada’s largest aquarium complex, with 70,000 fish, whales, dolphins, jellyfish and other sea creatures.  Catch an aquatic show featuring the very talented Pacific white-sided dolphins, watch a 4D movie complete with smell-o-vision and try to spot the sloth in the rainforest exhibit.

Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch: This one’s a bit nerdy, but the Vancouver Public Library at West Georgia and Homer Streets is absolutely worth a visit.  First of all, it’s a stunning work of architecture: a modern day coliseum of glass and brick.  Plus, there are hundreds of thousands of books inside and plenty of chairs to curl up in and read away the afternoon.

Granville Island Public Market: Rain or shine, foodies flock to this giant indoor market, filled to the brim with dozens of vendors selling fresh fruit and vegetables, baked goods and desserts, gourmet teas and coffees, organic fish and meat, delicious prepared food and more.  Edible Canada and the Pacific Culinary Institute both offer tours to help you navigate the maze of stalls.

Gastown: I think Gastown is one of the few places in Vancouver that actually gets prettier in the rain.  Between the cobblestone streets, Victorian buildings and temperamental old steam clock, it feels like you’re stepping onto an old black-and-white movie set.   Hunker down in the Irish Heather for a round or two, nibble on small plate delights at the Diamond and learn to love the drizzle.

Any more rainy day ideas?

Article source: http://www.insidevancouver.ca/2012/02/17/top-5-rainy-day-adventures-in-vancouver/

Don’t miss the private Canadian showing of the
Winter 2013 Bogner Skiwear Collection at
CAN-SKI Blackcomb Feb 18th19th. Throughout the weekend is your only chance to view and pre-order from the exclusive 2013 Bogner collection. We would also like to invite you to please join us and our guest, Bogner representative Maryanne McNamera, for an après reception at CAN-SKI Blackcomb Saturday
from 5-8pm

20% OFF any Bogner 2013 orders placed Feb 18 during reception – discount exclusive to Whistler Blackcomb Passholders
30% OFF all 2012 Bogner Skiwear during Feb 17-19

CAN-SKI Blackcomb
Glacier Lodge
604.938.7744

Please show/mention this invite to receive discount.
Cannot be combined with any other offer, limited to stock on hand, Sale ends Feb 19, 2012.
http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/stores/promotions.htm

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