Above: yuzu doughnuts signed Kyo chef Terrence "Ding" Ting. Yuzu is a tart citrus fruit native to parts of East Asia, notably Japan. It sort of tastes like lemon. Or lime. Maybe grapefruit? But softer. Photo courtesy of Kyo
Montreal is anything but short on izakayas, Japan's answer to the quintessential pub. Clearly the hottest local restaurant trend since jacking up burger prices across the city and calling it "gourmet," I can name at least four Montreal izakayas off the top of my head that are pretty decent, at least one which is meh and yet another which I'm told will only let you in if you're really really good at pretending you're loaded.
Time will tell which category Kyo, Old Montreal's latest and greatest izakaya, will fall under. But here's what I can tell you, or at least will tell you, once I've have a chance to experience a smidgeon of Kyo on pre-opening night.
MORE TO COME.
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Dot & Lil: Made-in-Montreal Line Put to the Test
Above: your humble guide testing Dot & Lil's products nasally. Photo © Clint LewisI had the rather auspicious opportunity to snoop around Montreal company Dot & Lil's studio last February -- I know, I know, I've been wanting to write about Dot & Lil for months, I've got a backlist of Montreal companies whose services and wares I am anxious to share with you, some I discovered as far back as last summer (!) but haven't had the time to cover properly, just bear with your heavily solicited guide, I'm gonna get to them as soon as I can and I just know you're gonna love them as much as I do -- when owner Anne Dardick invited me to check out her spring/summer line of handcrafted, preservative-free bath, beauty and skincare products.
Two items in particular stood out for me, which both happen to be pretty nifty for men, and by extension, us women who love you. And test them out, I enlisted the help of a gentleman I have dubbed "His Bluntness" because he does not hold back. And he does not work in PR. He is a man of the people. And he has been using these products for well over three months, judiciously putting Dot & Lil's claims to the test.
Cavalia's Odysseo. Magical.
Easily one of the best moments of the year for me, coming face-to-face with Borracho, a towering Spanish purebred who approached me as I chatted with Odysseo performer Fanny Nevoret, his forehead and muzzle nudging into me as if demanding cuddles followed by copious hand lickage. Of course, my lovely assistant suddenly experienced technical difficulties with his camera as this magical moment unfolded, but I digress. Photo © Clint LewisJaded city folk. We think we've seen it all, we think we've heard it all, tasted it, smelled it, groped it, whatever. Then someone stands you in front of a glorious, mythical white horse who looks you in the eyes, cuddles you with his muzzle and before you know it, the gates of heaven open wide to bathe the moment in a blinding, gold-tinted glow as that cynical facade you worked so hard on since early adolescence just melts its way to the pits of hell.
Mind you, I still squeal in gibberishy delight when I spot a prancing Pomeranian or a block of Emmental at 50% off and I ALWAYS point out the pretty butterfly fluttering in my path because, well, it's a pretty butterfly. Yay. So I'm not exactly your typical, hardened urbanite.*
But I'm a city dweller nonetheless. And we don't see much horses in these parts, which might explain why Cavalia's Odysseo is such a soul trip.
Photo courtesy of Cavalia © Pascal RatthéHaving had a chance to catch the made-in-Quebec show last week just north of Montreal in Laval, I can't sing Odysseo's praises enough, this, even though I've seen horse stunts with a seemingly higher degree of difficulty and experienced flashier stage productions. It was magical. And I don't take this word lightly. Actually, I don't use this word ever, having once asked my Facebook friends to slap me if I employ it in an article.
Representing horse circus troupe Cavalia's second feature offering since its eponymous debut in 2003, Odysseo has no clear storyline, instead impressing upon the audience the intense emotional bond between horse and rider. As furthered by performer and Strasbourg native Lara Gabin in a backstage interview, they are a genuinely happy bunch. "If a horse is maltreated, it simply would not be able to perform," she says. Again, the stunts are a wee tamer compared to, say, what I saw at SAKA back in 2009. But wow. The costumes, the music, the 67 horses that make up the show, a video backdrop the size of three IMAX screens... every element comes together to produce a spectacle worth its hefty admission fee.
Photo courtesy of Cavalia © Pascal RatthéWhich brings me to my next point. Valued readers? Splurge on the VIP tickets. Do it. For roughly an extra $70 on top of what you would pay for decent seats, you get access to an open bar with white beer, wine and bubbly, you're offered dinner -- it's a buffet format minus the cheap cocktail weenies and egg rolls, instead it's donned with smoked salmon, jumbo shrimp, melted brie, arugula/feta/strawberry salad and sweet potato puff pastries. You get access to a crazy perfect dessert buffet at intermission -- two words: strawberry cheesecake. You also get choice seats in the first rows. AND you get to meet the horses in the stables after the show. I doubt that saving that $70 will amount to as amazing an experience.
Above: my VIP dessert, which included sucre à la crème, carrot cake, chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate cheesecake, strawberry cheesecake, some sort of lemon cake thingy, an unidentified apple-based confection, and fruit. I passed on the brownies. Photo © Evelyn ReidFinal verdict?
The Odysseo VIP experience was five hours of good food, unlimited bubbly, 8 desserts (!), inspiring entertainment -- yes, I squeezed out a couple of tears -- and face time with a horse that unwittingly lifted my spirit in a matter of seconds, practically making me rethink my life purpose with a simple nudge of his muzzle.
Cavalia's Odysseo. Magical.
Cavalia's Odysseo continues its Montreal (Laval) run now through July 21, 2013. Regular tickets range from $44.65 to $138.88. VIP tickets range from $164.65 to $215.88. VIP tickets (first row seats only) range from $194.65 to $245.88.
In line with About.com's full disclosure policy, readers should be aware that Evelyn Reid was provided with complimentary VIP tickets for the purpose of reviewing Odysseo, a common procedure in the entertainment industry. Also note that the latter gratuity has not influenced this review.
Your humble guide, caught lost in thought after the show. Photo © Clint Lewis
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*Hardened urbanite... who am I kidding. I live in Montreal. Have you seen this place??? We dance to tribal drums once a week on a mountain located in the middle the city. We speak two languages at the same time in the same sentence. We're ridiculously stylish even though we're collectively broke. We drink bubbly like it's nobody's business.** And the food! God bless the food...
**In moderation, naturally.
Fête Nationale 2013 Parade: Défilé Participatif des Citoyens Drops Giants, Spotlights Citizens
Montreal's traditional Fête Nationale parade is going to look a little different in 2013. Photo courtesy of the Fête Nationale du Québec à Montréal For many years, Montreal's Fête Nationale parade was also known as the Défilé des Géants, French for Parade of the Giants, an annual procession held every June 24 during Quebec's Fête Nationale, formerly known as Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day or simply La Saint-Jean.
The reason it was called Parade of the Giants was because it featured larger-than-life papier mâché "giants" representing Quebec's favorite historical and fictional figures, including former Quebec Premier René Lévesque, poet/musician Félix Leclerc and Montreal co-founder Jeanne Mance. View photos of the Défilé des Géants.
But this June 24, 2013, the Fête Nationale parade's 179th run is going to be a little different. Organizers want you, cher citoyen, to not only be in the parade, but to join in the preparations, hence the name change to Défilé participatif des citoyens, French for Citizens Participatory Parade. By the way, it's very easy to get involved and kids are more than welcome to join in. Here's how it works.