Montreal for extended stay
Jan 23rd, 2010, 05:24 AM
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Montreal for extended stay
Good Morning Everyone, from the rain soaked Sonoran Desert. My DH and I will be going to Montreal for a couple of months and want to know what is the Fordorite's advice on being in the city this time of year. Are there any restuarants that can't be passed up? It looks like from other post that an overnight in Ottawa would be interesting. We will be staying near McGill University. Many thanks.
Jan 23rd, 2010, 12:18 PM
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Hi returntoyourseat,
By "this time of year", I guess you mean NOW? Best advice is dress warmly; your warmest coat there won't cut it here, bring hat, mitts and a scarf. Longjohns are a good idea too. Participate in winter sports activity... one of the joys living here in wintertime is going skating on Parc Lafontaine or by the Vieux Port. Some people enjoy snowshoeing as well.
If you'll be here in February, you may wish to go to the Carnaval in Quebec City for a few days. Unlike its southern brethren (Rio Carnival, Mardi Gras), it's not hit with quite the insane throngs, I think due to the fact that it's quite cold up here. The ice sculptures, ice thrones, ice houses, ice slides and bonhomme de neige make for a very festive ambience. I quite enjoyed this a few years back.
Best wishes, Daniel Williams
By "this time of year", I guess you mean NOW? Best advice is dress warmly; your warmest coat there won't cut it here, bring hat, mitts and a scarf. Longjohns are a good idea too. Participate in winter sports activity... one of the joys living here in wintertime is going skating on Parc Lafontaine or by the Vieux Port. Some people enjoy snowshoeing as well.
If you'll be here in February, you may wish to go to the Carnaval in Quebec City for a few days. Unlike its southern brethren (Rio Carnival, Mardi Gras), it's not hit with quite the insane throngs, I think due to the fact that it's quite cold up here. The ice sculptures, ice thrones, ice houses, ice slides and bonhomme de neige make for a very festive ambience. I quite enjoyed this a few years back.
Best wishes, Daniel Williams
Jan 23rd, 2010, 08:39 PM
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We will be there in February, I am definately not a Mardi Gras person but it sounds like we would enjoy this. Thank you for you responses. I am packing my very warmest of wardrobe. I know it is going to be quite a change for me since I live in the desert of the southwest, it is 56 degrees here today and we think it is cold. I know that sounds silly to people that are in the north, but the good thing is I am excited about seeing this city. I have heard wonderful things about it. A new adventure. Thanks.
Jan 23rd, 2010, 09:22 PM
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RTYS, One thing you have to do is have hot "Montreal Smoked Meat" deli sandwiches when you are in Montreal! Served on rye bread with mustard & a dill pickle. Montreal is also know for its bagels.
There are a lot of BYOB restaurants not far from McGill & you will have a couple of months to pick your favorite.
If you like steak, you shd try Gibby's.
Two of our favorite restaurants near McGill (Sherbrooke & Peel) are La Capannina on Stanley & Il Cortile on Sherbrooke.
If you don't have warm clothes, you can buy them in Montreal.
Quebec City, Ottawa and Toronto would be great weekend trips. Feb 5-21 is "Winterlude" in Ottawa(just Google "Winterlude" to learn more). You can skate on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa!
Enjoy!
There are a lot of BYOB restaurants not far from McGill & you will have a couple of months to pick your favorite.
If you like steak, you shd try Gibby's.
Two of our favorite restaurants near McGill (Sherbrooke & Peel) are La Capannina on Stanley & Il Cortile on Sherbrooke.
If you don't have warm clothes, you can buy them in Montreal.
Quebec City, Ottawa and Toronto would be great weekend trips. Feb 5-21 is "Winterlude" in Ottawa(just Google "Winterlude" to learn more). You can skate on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa!
Enjoy!
Jan 24th, 2010, 05:47 AM
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Hi RTYS
Enjoy those smoking hot 56 degrees F as that's at least a good 25 degrees F or so warmer than you'll likely experience while you're up here. I've heard the television meteorologist say "and today will be a balmy minus 6" (with no sarcasm) in February, just to give you an idea. (That's Celsius, mind you, but still...) Chances are it'll be about 14F; chances are you'll get to experience the minus Fahrenheits at some point.
I love Montreal. Be aware though that a lot of visitors though who say nice things about our fair city however visit it in the late spring, summer and early fall. Maybe you'll be like me and be one of those who has learned to love winter (I'm even a bit sad when I see that the Parc Lafontaine pond has melted in the spring, to know that skating season is over), but I will warn you that this season really gets some people down. Sometimes temperatures do get low enough that people (including myself) must keep outdoor activities relatively restricted (to avoid frost bite).
In a way, though, you'll be experiencing Montreal mostly with Montrealers, as this is definitely low season, which you may enjoy... By the way, as for good restaurants, you can go to a new one every day you're here and still be skimming the surface...it's hard to know where to start. I can advise on vegetarian/healthy restaurants for those on a budget if this is your interest (my favourites in the vegetarian genre are Aux Vivres, la Faim du Monde, Bio-Plats, Bonnie's, Crudessence and le Commensal... the menu du jour at Premiere Moisson for healthy non-vegetarian). I tend to like places that have a bit of "grano-ecolo" (Quebec expression translated: granola, ecologically-sensitive) vibe, so my taste is certainly not everyone's cup of tea. I don't often go to the upscale, romantic or bistro-type places, so my advice is a bit limited in this regard.
Best wishes and hoping that you enjoy your time here!
Daniel
Enjoy those smoking hot 56 degrees F as that's at least a good 25 degrees F or so warmer than you'll likely experience while you're up here. I've heard the television meteorologist say "and today will be a balmy minus 6" (with no sarcasm) in February, just to give you an idea. (That's Celsius, mind you, but still...) Chances are it'll be about 14F; chances are you'll get to experience the minus Fahrenheits at some point.
I love Montreal. Be aware though that a lot of visitors though who say nice things about our fair city however visit it in the late spring, summer and early fall. Maybe you'll be like me and be one of those who has learned to love winter (I'm even a bit sad when I see that the Parc Lafontaine pond has melted in the spring, to know that skating season is over), but I will warn you that this season really gets some people down. Sometimes temperatures do get low enough that people (including myself) must keep outdoor activities relatively restricted (to avoid frost bite).
In a way, though, you'll be experiencing Montreal mostly with Montrealers, as this is definitely low season, which you may enjoy... By the way, as for good restaurants, you can go to a new one every day you're here and still be skimming the surface...it's hard to know where to start. I can advise on vegetarian/healthy restaurants for those on a budget if this is your interest (my favourites in the vegetarian genre are Aux Vivres, la Faim du Monde, Bio-Plats, Bonnie's, Crudessence and le Commensal... the menu du jour at Premiere Moisson for healthy non-vegetarian). I tend to like places that have a bit of "grano-ecolo" (Quebec expression translated: granola, ecologically-sensitive) vibe, so my taste is certainly not everyone's cup of tea. I don't often go to the upscale, romantic or bistro-type places, so my advice is a bit limited in this regard.
Best wishes and hoping that you enjoy your time here!
Daniel
Jan 24th, 2010, 08:19 AM
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We live in northern Vermont about 3 hours from Montreal, and our older son did his undergraduate work at McGill. We love visiting Montreal in any season. It will definitely be cold this time of year and it can be a damp, chilly cold when the wind comes off the St. Laurence, so you will need all your warm clothes.
My husband and I just spent the MLK holiday weekend in Montreal, our first trip in years without either of our kids. We stayed in the Plateau neighborhood near Parc de la Fontaine and walked for miles every day. This is an exciting neighborhood, with lots of interesting stores and restaurants. Mile End and Outremont are also great areas to explore.
One of the amazing things about Montreal is the incredible ethnic diversity. This means you have lots of unusual food choices. We have tried lots of the restaurants reviewed in
Resto a Go-Go: 180 Cheap and Fun Places to Eat and Drink in Montreal By Sarah Musgrave, casual restaurant critic for the Montreal Gazette. Of course there are many excellent higher end restaurants, too.
The classic place to go for smoked meat sandwiches is Schwartz's Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen, www.schwartzsdeli.com. As noted in another post, Montreal bagels are another must-try. There are two major rival bakeries, St. Viateur and Fairmont--try both and see which you prefer. I also recommend visiting one or more of the big markets--Jean Talon, Atwater.
The Château Ramezay museum in Old Montreal has a special exhibit called "Let's Eat" which describes "different facets of the culinary culture in Québec, from the arrival of the first colonists to the modern days" :
http://www.chateauramezay.qc.ca/eng/expo/atable.htm
The main exhibit is also very good, and I would definitely visit this museum and the Pointe-à-Callière Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History early on in your stay. (We are big history buffs and have gone to many of the historical spots in Montreal and the surrounding area, so I can give some other suggestions if you are interested.)
The Montreal tourist office has lots of good information including a guide with walking tours of the different neighborhoods. The web site is also very good
http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/Discover-montreal
I am sure you will have a wonderful time in Montreal. I would love to be able to spend a couple of months there.
My husband and I just spent the MLK holiday weekend in Montreal, our first trip in years without either of our kids. We stayed in the Plateau neighborhood near Parc de la Fontaine and walked for miles every day. This is an exciting neighborhood, with lots of interesting stores and restaurants. Mile End and Outremont are also great areas to explore.
One of the amazing things about Montreal is the incredible ethnic diversity. This means you have lots of unusual food choices. We have tried lots of the restaurants reviewed in
Resto a Go-Go: 180 Cheap and Fun Places to Eat and Drink in Montreal By Sarah Musgrave, casual restaurant critic for the Montreal Gazette. Of course there are many excellent higher end restaurants, too.
The classic place to go for smoked meat sandwiches is Schwartz's Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen, www.schwartzsdeli.com. As noted in another post, Montreal bagels are another must-try. There are two major rival bakeries, St. Viateur and Fairmont--try both and see which you prefer. I also recommend visiting one or more of the big markets--Jean Talon, Atwater.
The Château Ramezay museum in Old Montreal has a special exhibit called "Let's Eat" which describes "different facets of the culinary culture in Québec, from the arrival of the first colonists to the modern days" :
http://www.chateauramezay.qc.ca/eng/expo/atable.htm
The main exhibit is also very good, and I would definitely visit this museum and the Pointe-à-Callière Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History early on in your stay. (We are big history buffs and have gone to many of the historical spots in Montreal and the surrounding area, so I can give some other suggestions if you are interested.)
The Montreal tourist office has lots of good information including a guide with walking tours of the different neighborhoods. The web site is also very good
http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/Discover-montreal
I am sure you will have a wonderful time in Montreal. I would love to be able to spend a couple of months there.
