Montreal Shopping

It was so great to break the back to back shoots I have been working on lately and to get on a plane and go somewhere that did not require me to pack boxes of props to ship before I left, Yes, I actually went on a vacation!, Bound for Montreal. Montreal has always been a place of interest for me, my first time to Canada did not disappoint. Montreal is a great city, probably not the best time of the year to go, It's cold!, but never the less, I still enjoyed it immensely. July is supposed to be the best time of year to go, I definitely will be making the trek back in the Summer where the city if full of festivals and warm days. The great thing though, Is Montreal really is not a trek from NYC, plane delays aside, It's only just over an hours flight.

Aside from the great restaurants and cafes which I will get to later, The number of shopping districts is almost overwhelming, Pockets of great areas are all really within walking distance from each other, and the subway system is easy to navigate and quick. I am lucky to live in New York which is home to some of the world's best stores, but with a fresh pair of eyes, I found myself inspired all over again in Montreal. Here are a few of my faves:

Boutique Couleurs, www.couleurs.qc.ca, 3901 Saint-Denis, Montreal (Quebec) Canada (514) 282-4141
With a great collection of different trends that shaped the 20th century, Boutique Coueurs specializes in objects from the 40's to 70's, Set in a basement, It still has a light and airy feel, the visual mechanising is cleverly laid out with color blocking. There is something for everybody with varying price points depending on the object, but nothing is priced unreasonably and especially when you are used to New York prices! I picked up up a few Danish pieces, largely candlesticks to add to my growing collection, but there are also some great pieces of furniture if only I had had a suitcase big enough. 20th century furniture in Montreal is very reasonable, as are rents, you could really furnish a new apartment quite avoidably.

Les Touilleurs, www.lestouilleurs.com,152 Ave Laurier Quest, Montreal (Quebec) Canada, (514) 278 0008
This is a store that New York could definitely have. Clean crisp white walls and an amazing range of beautiful kitchen products, honestly, you want to own every piece. The visual merchandising is simple but quirky, They had vintage wooden kitchen chairs cleverly stacked in the windows in soft washed colors. They also have an open kitchen that holds cooking classes 3 nights a week. The product is simple, functional and incredibly chic.

Jacks 70, www.jacks70.com, 680 Rue Ahmerst, Montreal (Quebec) Canada, (514) 596 0060
All along Amherst (which is close to The Village) there lives one mid century store after another. Jacks is one that stands out, It's big! It houses a great collection, I was particularly drawn to their ceiling lights of which they have many hanging in the back section of the store. They have a 60's/ 70's bent, poppy, modern and fun. In retrospect I wish I had grabbed a few things, but it's almost overwhelming, I would recommend going back a second time if you can after you have absorbed the visual overload that Jacks is, amongst many other great stores on Rue Amherst.

There are many more stores I could list, They are scattered all over the city so be prepared to hop around, It's well worth trying to cover as much ground as possible, you won't be disappointed. As a Stylist, I would love to bring a big van and fill it to the brim, maybe next time, I might drive ; )