Bievenue a Montreal: Acheter et Magasiner...

Comment passez-vous tout votre argent quand vous etes dans Montreal: Part 1 in a series.

So the big to-do was the underground mall, La Ville Souterraine or RESO. All the travel literature, and people on the street all seemed to be urging us to check out the WORLD'S. LARGEST. UNDERGROUND. SHOPPING!!!! (yaaaa!!!haaaa!!!yeahhhh!!)

I don't understand the big draw. It's stores. Underground. Like a mall. Only more artificial and zero natural light. I don't even really like malls. I much prefer walking down a strip.

Besides, as I told Irish: "we have underground shopping in Toronto."

"We do?" she replied.

Check and mate.

The Eaton Centre was no where near as impressive as Toronto's. But the shopping on Ste. Catherine Ouest, just outside of the centre was good. Similar to Yonge and Dundas.

Simmons is a place to check out: a fashionable department store, exclusive to Montreal and Quebec City. The prices are pretty reasonable, and I think you'll find that Montrealers are more cutting edge than their Toronto cousins. The European trends tend to hit Montreal before Toronto. But then again, you're running the risk of looking like a freak for several years before the trend hits the general population. 

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Like these high-waisted bloomer polka-dot shorts.

H&M, $19.95

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Or, a ruffle-shoulder tee.

H&M, $14.95

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Or even a fancy veil, suitable for all your mourning needs.

H&M, $9.95
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Went a little bit crazy at H&M. Found some more studs. (Trying to bring 'em back. Spread the word.)

H&M, $4.95
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Of course, needed more large sunglasses. They're kinda my thing.
H&M, $5
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Vieux Montreal (Old Montreal) was by far our favourite. Its where the artists come to sell their wares. Definitely check out the original art, sold on the street by the artist. Acrylic, water colour, lithograph, photography and even caricatures; there's something for everyone. Unique jewelry, clothing and gifts can be procured here as well. Plus, the cobblestone walkways just give Vieux Montreal such a delightful old-world feel.

One thing we noticed was Montrealers' love of stationary shops. I have never seen so many shops devoted to paper. And such large and extensive shops! Not a great place for two journalists to walk into. Nevertheless, we showed restraint, purchasing one notebook each.

Sure, everything we saw you could pretty much find in Toronto. But Montrealers have the luxury of one stop shopping. And bonus? Blank paper is bilingual!

I couldn't resist the small notebook with the sentiment, "Une bonne action n'est jamais perdue." (A good deed is never lost). $6.50.

 

Ya, I bought a sex book. What's it to ya?

Backstory: For Beat Magazine class, Irish, Brown, Grey and I (henceforth, known as the Douches) are creating, writing and producing a magazine and website about 'sexual education as a lifelong process'. Sex-ed doesn't end after highschool.

Sexology was a magazine that launched in 1933, and became defunct in the seventies. It was considered humorous, informative and frank. And sometimes ludicrous. It was certainly risque, and paved the way for magazines such as Cosmo and Playboy. Ironically, Sexology met its inevitable demise, because it couldn't complete with the frankness of its predecessors.

The book is a compilation, "The best of Sexology: The Illustrated Magazine of Sex Science: Kinky and kooky excerpts from America's first sex magazine." Got the book from the most delightful store (origins, currently unknown) which had all sorts of useless yet delightful wares.

Tea bags with celebrities from Audrey Hepburn to Bob Marley to Obama chilling in your tea cup, jacuzzi style. Fake promotional pens from 'Springfield Sexual Addiction Center' and 'Dr. Lance Hughes, Proctology'. Bloody shower curtains. Precious kits for pigtails or explorers. And not to mention a great collection of uber entertaining books. Like Sexology. $16.

It's worth it to check out the gift shop in the Notre Dame Basilica. (I know, I know). It's actually pretty classy. Rosaries, crosses and nice gift items for all your Catholic needs for Baptisms, First Communions, Weddings, etc. I bought a new magnet for my fridge collection. (Seriously, the easiest travel collection to maintain. not to mention cheap!) $2.


So, there you have it. Shopaholic takes Montreal! Stay tuned tomorrow for the second installment in my Bievennue a Montreal series. Manger et Diner: Comment vous pouvez gagner du poids quand vous etes dans Montreal.

I'm not high-maintenance, right?

Why is my first thought always, "but what will I wear?"

Took my hair out of my ponytail, tousled. Pouted in the mirror. Reapplied bronzer and scrutinized my end-of-the-night eye-make-up.

Looked good, but something was off.

Powdered my nose (and greasy forehead. seriously, I could prob fry an egg on my forehead.)

Lipstick would be too much, right? Ok, tinted lip balm. Damn these three tiny zits on my chin.

Eyebrows are prefect, and freshly plucked. Took care of all the general landscaping areas today. Brush my teeth. Deodorant. Perfume? Naw..

Maybe I should pee? Oh, close the medicine cabinet. Your make-up and jewelry organization makes you appear high-maintenance!

Ok. Perfume.

Remove baggy sweater and wife-beater. The turquoise bra is my favourite, that can stay. Slip my slinky black tank back over my head. I'm glad I didn't put it in the hamper. Slip off my comfy green pyjama bottoms. (so cute, with little white stars.) This calls for booty-shorts.

I had been saving this simple black cotton thong, my favourite. This thong gives me confidence. I appraise the overall look, and finish it up with small blue studs.

And now, I'm ready to blog.

And next week... good night moon

I am reading Generation Me, and I wanted to write a post about it. But I can't just log onto the computer without some serious shenanigans. First I had to check my facebook. Then texts from last night and fmylife. Of course I needed music. And then whilst on the interwebs, I was shocked to discover that there was an earthquake in Toronto today. From fmylife no less. Not the most credible of sources, and then after much poking around, I was shocked to discover that there was in fact an earthquake in Toronto this afternoon. And I missed it? Then, using my recent calls and texts, I pinpointed myself in the parking lot of Fairview mall. And I DID feel it. I had just parked and turned off the car, when I felt the car swaying. I thought it was a problem with the car. Or the wind (I was on the upper level parking.) So I guess this is really the summer of everything. Really should have made a bingo card. So I bailed on a certain Mr. Wikham for a rendezvous with quite a new plot point. And ever since then, my lucky streak is broken. But the great things just keep getting greater, and the randomness has reached a new level, that it`s almost back to predictable again. Got a new phone today. Nothing fancy. (But fancy compared to my last phone, which can only be described as prehistoric.) Negotiated my butt off, and left with a plan that is both cheaper and with more features than my last. Irish and I are starting a book club. First we read The Bro Code, and now we've moved onto Generation Me by Jean Twenge. Oh won`t you join our book club! I`ll begin. I liked what she said about getting dressed for yourself. I guess people in the fifties would have dressed more casually and comfortably, if it had been a social norm. Even look how Coco Chanel had changed women's fashion out of corsets and into pants. Our generation is the sweat pant generation. And I know that I talked about it in my column (link to follow, one of these days) as something bad. My clothing choices in the past 24hours varied depending upon the situation. I'm still dressing for myself, but taking context, environment, and company involved into account. Right now I'm wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt. Comfortable, but still cute enough to go outside and chill with the neighbours. I wore jeans and a cute tank to the mall today, and a similar ensemble to New Plot Point's house last night. But at work, it was pinstripe dress pants, a crotcheted cami and a cardigan. Family functions call for class. Skank it up when going out. Funky for school and hanging out. Professional for work. Comfy for home. I essentially have 5 looks. And multiple personalities for each. And I love what she said about dance (fashion and dancing? boy am I predictable) What will my children's weddings look like, for the bride/father groom/mother dances? I don't know how to waltz.. what hope does my son have. Thats why I love going to places with my friends that play music from the fifties or sixties. Some songs just demand that he put his hand on your waist, and you put yours on his shoulder. You clasp hands, and improvise a little fox trot. I think that I want to live in the romanticized boomer generation. I want the formality and ettiquite and newness, with the convenience and freedoms of the Internet age.