Montreal Musts, to do: Sample the art galleries

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Montreal has an abundance of art galleries and museums, stretching from one side of the city to the other. But, if you’re looking for one spot where you can surround yourself with more galleries than you could conceivably enjoy in a day, head down to Old Montreal and explore la rue Saint-Paul Ouest. From la rue McGill to boulevard Saint-Laurent, it’s packed with galleries large and small, including some that are artist-owned and others that represent a broad spectrum of creative minds.

The first gallery that caught my eye was Galerie Elca London. Unique on St. Paul Ouest, Elca London focuses on art created by the Inuit. Sculpture and flat art are available and come to the gallery based on their availability. Unlike most, it buys the art rather than take it on consignment, and there are no entangling relationships that limit what it can carry. So, if it measures up to the standard, it lands on the shelves. Of course, the gallery’s theme is evident from the inventory – there are a lot of polar bears and native masks. You’re more likely to pick up a piece or two for your collection, I suspect, than make this the cornerstone of your home décor.

Atelier Art Bressan is a single-artist gallery, featuring the works of Pauline Bressan, though a few pieces by her daughter (also a talented artist) have found their way onto the walls. Bressan’s style is decidedly abstract, and her influences vary. One piece, for example, comes from the effect a Senegalese poem had on her. The artist has shown her work around the world – in France, the United States and many other countries – which supports the quality of her creations in terms of investment potential (something to keep in mind as the art market starts to work its way up from the floor).

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One of my favorite art spots in Montreal is still Les Passants du Sans Soucy Auberge. A boutique hotel, its lobby includes a small art gallery, mostly featuring the works of Jacques Clement. Clement’s work includes more landscapes than it did last year (my first visit to this lobby gallery), but he still has enough work on the human body (which has a Francis Bacon style to it) to keep me excited.

Further up Saint-Paul Ouest, you’ll find several art galleries that are similar to what you’d find in New York: multiple artists are featured, and the work is stylish, modern and exciting. Galerie Le Luxart tops the list for me in this group, with a labyrinthine gallery featuring a variety of contemporary techniques that will definitely force you to stop and look for a while. Galerie Saint Dizier and Galerie le Royer are of the same ilk.

Of course, if street art is more your style, you’ll find murals painted on buildings throughout the city. For the best concentration, head up to the trendy Plateau neighborhood, where you’ll find carefully crafted graffiti art in many of the alleys.

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Disclosure: Tourisme-Montreal picked up the tab for this trip, but my views are my own.

Early fall events in Carmel

by Brenda Yun on

My good friend who used to live and work in Carmel took me on a stroll through the historic town earlier this month and she found herself nostalgic. I let her relive her days working in the art gallery that has since been taken over by yet another, different gallery, and her evenings full of meeting military men who attended school nearby in Marina. If that wasn’t enough, we had coffee at her old haunt, where she nearly broke down into tears remembering the smell of the place.

It seems if you’ve been in Carmel long enough it sticks with you long after you leave. Here are a few fall events that will make you want to stay in Carmel for longer – or perhaps for life.

Harvest Carmel – September 26-27: A 2-day event celebrating agriculture, viticulture, cheese, and good times; 50 chefs, more than 100 wineries, organic gardening seminars, barbecue seminars, wine tastings, cheese tastings, kid’s interactive kitchen, live music. www.harvestcarmel.com

21st Annual Taste of Carmel – October 1: A celebration of food and wine in the Courtyard of the Mission; tickets are $85. www.tasteofcarmel.com ; #831-624.2522

Carmel Art and Film Festival – October 8-11: Total arts immersion, four days filled with world-class film, music, fine art, and photography, photography, art and film lectures throughout the festival, a two-day art fair in Devendorf Park, a juried photography exhibition at the Marjorie Evans Gallery at the Sunset Cultural Arts Center, films curated by John Cooper (the Director of the Sundance Festival) http://www.carmelartandfilm.com

Intrepid Travel wants to know who your ultimate travel buddy is

by Kraig Becker on

Twenty years ago two good friends, Darrell Wade and Geoff Manchester, launched a new adventure travel company with the idea of sending small groups on intimate tours to some of the most unique places on the planet. Their plan was to get travelers to experience their destinations on a grassroots level, interacting with locals and getting off the beaten path when ever possible. They called their new company Intrepid Travel and today they offer more than 500 trips to 100 destinations around the globe.

To celebrate their 20th anniversary, the company has launched their Ultimate Travel Buddy contest, in which they are giving away twenty travel packs, each of which will send you and your ultimate travel buddy off on a trip of your choice. To enter the contest, you simply have to go to this website and fill out an online virtual postcard that allows you to select where you want to go and what you want to do while you’re there. You’ll also select which of your buddies you’ll be taking along with you, and then in 25 words or less, explain why you should win.

You options for your adventure are nearly endless. You can go cycling in Tuscany, hiking the Inca Trail in Peru, or ride camels through the Sahara Desert in Egypt. These are just a few of the dozens of trips to choose from. So, head on over to Intrepid’s website and fill out your postcard now. And remember, I make an excellent travel buddy!

Tours of polygamist cities now available

by Tom Johansmeyer on

If you were in Hildale, Utah or Colorado City, Arizona yesterday, it was either because (a) you live there or (b) you were taking the first tour of polygamist country. Former Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints members Richard and Heber Holm, brothers, have launched four-hour tours of the two towns that are controlled by the largest FLDS community in the United States. Of course, don’t expect much interaction from the locals.

These two towns are known for being uncomfortable with outsiders, given their beliefs and the interaction they have with law enforcement officials – which stems from their practice of plural marriage and a history of sexual assault charges (to which the group’s leader, Warren Jeffs, was convicted in 2007). Jeffs’ church has maintained control of the towns’ economies and governments, with the FLDS staffing the police department, schools and public offices with like-minded employees.

Now, you can step into this isolated world, learn about the belief system you’ve seen on HBO’s Big Love and even talk to people who once lived in the towns. Richard Holm was exiled from the community in 2003 by Jeffs, while his brother left the twin towns35 years ago.

It doesn’t come as a shock that the FLDS is not excited about this new development. Its spokesman, Willie Jessop, a member of a prominent family in Hildale and Colorado City, calls it a scam.

Want to know what another member of the Jessop family thinks? Find out after the jump.

100 urban adventures for the city dweller

by Kraig Becker on

Looking for something to do today as the weekend quickly comes to a close? Then look no further than Outside Magazine’s list of 100 Urban Adventures. As you can no doubt tell, it contains some of the best activities to do in the great outdoors while remaining well within some of the largest cities in the U.S.

Outside turns its attention on such urban centers as New York, Boston, and Chicago, amongst others. Some of their suggestions for outdoor fun might come as a surprise, even to those that live there. For instance, plenty of people have probably considered paddling around Liberty Island to get a spectacular view of the Statue of Liberty from inside a Kayak, but did you also know that you could go bouldering in Central Park?

There are equally interesting adventures from the other cities as well. Go sailing on Lake Michigan while in Chicago, horseback riding through the Hollywood Hills in L.A., or trout fishing a short distance from downtown Seattle. These are just a sample of some of the adventures on the list and chances are you’ll find something on it that will appeal to what ever level of activity you’re up for.

But what if you don’t live in any of these cities? My guess that no matter where you live, you’ll find similar hidden outdoor adventures right under your nose. Take a look around, and you’re likely to find all kinds of interesting things to do. But hurry, the weekend is slipping away fast.