MTL Guide

3 NEW Activities to Entertain you in MTL this Summer

Montreal has a lot to offer come summertime: walks on Mount Royal, biking by the canal, or wandering through bustling Jean Talon market. Already covered all of those and looking for something new? Here are 3 activities you may not have thought of to entertain you and your friends!

1. Obsidem

305c-2025 Rue Parthenais, Montreal, QC H2K 3T2
514-523-2550 / info@obsidem.com

'Escape rooms' are trendy at the moment and they are popping up EVERYWHERE. The concept: you are put in a room filled with clues, keys, and codes, and need to link everything together in order to escape. Obsidem is just one of the few companies that have opened in Montreal. They haven't received as much media attention as their counterpart A/Maze, but they deserve it!

The room we did was called The Trap. I won't give away too much detail, but you find yourself in a very real-looking crime scene. In order to complete The Trap you need to solve the crime, and escape the room. You basically feel as if you've been dropped into an episode of CSI (who HASN'T dreamed of that). The Trap has a 5% completion rate, and we managed to escape! Such a rewarding and unique experience.

Just because you've completed one room, doesn't mean you can't return. They have multiple rooms and scenarios to choose from, so be sure to check out their website and reserve in advance! Prices range from $15 to $25 per person depending on the escape room chosen.

http://obsidem.com/EN/

2. Zip-Line MTL

Au Hangar 16, près du quai de l’Horloge dans le Vieux-Port de Montréal

514-ZIP-LINE (514-947-5463)

This uniquely Montreal experience is a bit pricey, but gives you some of the most amazing views of the Old Port you could find (and also quite a thrill). Directly across the water from Terrasse Bonsecours you will find a tall tower that will lead you to the adrenaline-rush you've been waiting for. At $19.50 (plus tax) per person, you could find yourself soaring over Bonsecours Island on a zipline 1200 feet high.

Two parallel cables allow you to zip at the same time as a friend. Follow it up with a Felix & Norton ice cream sandwich at their nearby food truck to congratulate yourself for taking the leap!

http://mtlzipline.com/

3. b.cycle

601 rue de la Gauchetière west, Montreal
(514) 393-1001 / info@bcyclespin.com

b.cycle is a brand new spinning studio located adjacent to the Old Port and Downtown Montreal. Often compared to FlyWheel and other well-known spin studios, b.cycle is taking the Montreal fitness community by storm. With summer approaching, everyone is trying to get fit in a hurry. b.cycle feels more like a party than a workout and is a great way to reach your summer body goals. Blasting music, dark room, colourful lights-  are you sure I'm not in a club?

The team and instructors at b.cycle are pros. They provide you with spinning shoes and show you how to clip-in and adjust your seat to the correct position for your body. Choose a screen name and watch how your performance fares (or pales) in comparison to others in the class. A little competition never hurt anyone!

The first class is free, so head over to their website, sign-up, and try it out for yourself! Your body will love you for it.

http://www.bcyclespin.com/en/

Mind, Taste, Love.

Olives en Folies

Folle for Olive Oil!

386 av. Victoria, Westmount, QC, Canada H3Z 2N4

When I heard about the opening of Olives en Folie, a store dedicated solely to olive oils and vinegars located in the heart of Westmount, I knew I needed to stop by immediately. A trip to Greece last summer exposed me to some of the most robust and flavourful olive oils I have ever tasted. Restaurants served tomatoes from their backyards and homemade cheeses drizzled with the most perfect olive oil and no matter how simple it seems, it just cannot be matched.

I was so excited to visit the store and to see and taste firsthand their selection of olive oils and balsamic vinegars. First of all, the store itself is beautiful! But the real focus here is the product. The olive oils and balsamics are stored in large tins that seal their contents from any light or air. After one year, whatever is left in the tin is discarded in order to ensure ultimate freshness.

The tasting process went as follows: a small amount of olive oil was poured into a blue tinted glass (so that tasters are not influenced by the colour of the oil), cover the glass with your hand, swirl it around, uncover, and smell. After smelling the olive oil, take a little sip from the glass and take note of the flavours and sensations you experience. The lovely and knowledgeable store manager Joe, explained that olive oil tasting is a unique and subjective process designed to give tasters the ability to identify the peculiarities of each olive oil based on personal tastes and preferences.

 

There are over 60 types of olive oils and vinegars throughout the store. From Greek olive oils, to flavoured olive oils, these oils could be used to cook, in salad dressings, and even in your baked goods. They are really versatile. Some of my favourites were the white truffle, basil, and vanilla. Some of these are flavoured with natural flavouring, while others are infused. The balsamics were also a treat. Two of my personal favourites were the white maple balsamic and the 25-year aged Modena balsamic.

 

I urge you to pay the store a visit, and have a nice chat with the store's staff- they really know their olive oils! they will give you all kinds of great recommendations on recipes and how to use each oil and vinegar. The best part is that they fill up the bottle right there in front of you and offer different sizes. Weave through the store tasting as much as you'd like and leave with some of your favourites!

P.S. Near the cash they sell some awesome local products. I bought preserves by a Montreal company called The Preservation Society, and fell in love.

From left to right: Greek Olive Oil, Modena Balsamic, Basil Olive Oil, White Maple Balsamic

Mind, Taste, Love.

Dolce et Gateaux

Will you be my Valentine?

Cupcakes are now seen as passé, with macarons having moved into the spotlight recently. But how could a pint-sized cake topped with a dreamy icing, be considered passé? After tasting Dolce et Gateaux's cupcakes, I declare cupcakes back in style. The cake itself is what stood out to me. Perfectly light and fluffy-  it could stand on its own. But of course it is iced with a creamy and buttery frosting that is smooth and not too sweet.

Valentine's Day

With Valentine's day just around the corner, I am sure tons of you are scramming to have something delivered to your loved one at work or at home, and I have just the thing. Dolce et Gateaux has created a beautiful bouquet made up of.......wait for it.........red velvet cupcakes. What's better than a bouquet of roses that you can eat? (Seriously...let me know if you think of anything.) And if you're looking to make a little less of a statement, the boutique also has a large variety of v-day themed cupcakes as well as XO shaped sugar cookies.

 

Fresh and Delivered to your Door

Unlike some other cupcake shops in the city, this one delivers (anywhere for a price). Just call and inquire to see how much it would cost to deliver to your area!

Most importantly in my books, their cupcakes are freshly baked DAILY. No cupcakes on display are form the previous day. Every evening, leftovers are brought to the nearby mission.

Nutella Cupcake with Nutella Filling

Special Events

If you're hosting a bridal shower, baby shower, birthday party, or wedding, they also have incredible cakes and specialty cupcakes. We were shown an album full of impressively decorated baked goods for a wide-range of events. Contact them with your ideas...they can make them happen.

 

Summer Treats

In the springtime, Dolce et Gateaux starts serving their homemade Gelato. They have tons of flavours and use only natural ingredients. Spring/summer can't come soon enough....

The boutique itself is adorable. It's a great place to go grab a latte and a cupcake, and catch up with friends. Check out their boutique and café on Bernard, or grab some cupcakes to go at their location downtown. Check out their website for more deets!

http://dolcegateaux.com/fr/

 
Mind, Taste, Love.

iGo Electric FatBike

iGo Electric FatBike

Hi guys!

If you're a biking fanatic, or even if you've never ridden a bike before, I urge you to click the link below and watch this video. These days, almost everything is outsourced. To find a well-made, and high quality product both designed and built in Canada is rare. I am all about shopping local when it comes to smaller items like groceries, and clothing, so why not do the same when it comes to bigger ticket items like an awesome electric FatBike.

Two brothers (Montreal-born and raised) have taken it upon themselves to bring us top notch electric bicycles. There is nothing I love more than home-grown talent and entrepreneurial spirit. To learn more about the product and to see how you could help get it launched in Canada, see the Kickstarter link below.  In case you didn't know, Kickstarter is a way to get the consumer involved from the product design stage, to product launch, and when you support the products you love, you don't leave empty-handed, so please check it out and share with all of your friends! 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/igoelectric/igo-electric-fatbike

I love to support friends in their business ventures, but it's even easier when they are super talented and designing first class products for consumers like me. Plus, imagine riding this bike up Mont Royal. WOAH.

Montreal Entrepreneurs Matt and Zach Richman

Mind, Taste, Love.

Lifestyle: Studio Rebound Fit

Studio Rebound Fit

Food vs. Fitness

When I started blogging, I realized that eating out more often would come with the territory. I have always enjoyed working out and now more than ever try to do it consistently. I am not the type of person who could simply go to the gym on my own and have a great workout. When I do go to the gym on my own, I typically hop on the treadmill for about 20 minutes, get bored, attempt a couple of push-ups and call it a day.

In order to make sure I do get a great workout that I will feel the next day, I go to gym classes. As much as I would love to have a personal trainer, this is the more affordable option for now! Being with other people and having someone there to correct and instruct is really what motivates me. I'm a member at a gym and try to go to classes 2-3 times a week, but sometimes I need a change from the same old classes. When my friend told me about a studio called "Rebound Fit" located in the neighbourhood of St-Henri, I decided to try it out for myself.

Rebound Fit understands that in order for someone to stick to a workout routine, they need to enjoy it. The studio combines cardio and toning in a unique way. How is it unique you may ask? Because the entire workout takes place on a mini trampoline! There are different trampoline resistances: beginner, intermediate, and advanced, depending on the bungee strength. The more elastic the trampoline, the more difficult the workout. I love that the studio caters to all levels and encourages you to go at your own pace. The workout combines jogging, dance moves, toning with resistance bands, and stretching, ALL on a trampoline. I know you may be thinking that this sounds easy..."a trampoline workout? I won't even break a sweat"...TRUST ME. This workout is tough and rewarding, and you will definitely feel it the next morning. Plus they play fun music and you'll leave in an awesome mood. Girls and guys are welcome!

The different coloured trampolines are different difficult/resistance levels!

Could "trampolining" be the next trendy workout for 2015? Try it out and let me know what you think!

If you want to learn more about the health benefits of this workout and reserve a spot in one of their classes, check out their website below!

http://reboundfit.com/

Mind, Taste, Love.

Lifestyle: M Salon Official Launch Party

M Salon Official Launch Party

The Ultimate GNO.

1332 Notre Dame Ouest, Montreal, QC , H3C 1K7

One of my favourite neighbourhoods in Montreal is Griffintown. I don't live in the area, but I try to make my way there as often as possible to bike by the canal, grab a coffee, or try the latest trendy restaurant. So I was really excited when I received an invite to the official launch of Griffintown's latest (and only) nail and beauty salon - M Salon. This project was started by two brothers, Laurent and Arie Benchetrit when they discovered that this up-and-coming neighbourhood had a serious gap in the market. Realizing that no nail salons existed within a short walking distance, these two took it upon themselves to start their own- but it turned into much more than that. M Salon offers a wide range of services including: manicures, pedicures, waxing, haircuts, blowouts, highlights, extensions, threading, and custom MENicures (who says men can't have nice nails too?). The salon also goes hand-in-hand with the brothers' own line of nail polish, Maniglam.

Now let's talk launch party. The brand new modern black & white space was the ideal backdrop for the event, which later moved outside to the salon's very own outdoor terrace. Sushi provided by Ryu, Oyster's from Mother Shuckers, cookies by Shticks (YUM), mojitos, Fafa Khan dj-ing, flash tattoos, pop-up shop by New Social Class, and of course MANIS by M Salon! Truly the perfect girls night and a first glance into this wonderful (and glam!) new salon, which I will definitely be visiting again in the near future! To top it all off, the space is beautifully decorated.

Oyster Bar

Shticks

Here's some more info so you can stay in the know!
Hours:
Monday- CLOSED
Tuesday- 11-6
Wednesday- 11-7
Thursday- 11-8
Friday- 11-7
Saturday- 10-6
Sunday- 12-5

Services:
-Manis
-Pedis
-Waxing
-Haircuts
-Blowouts
-Highlights
-Extensions
-Threading
-MENicures
-Spray tan

BONUS:

-Free Wine & fancy coffee
-Music
-Open in the evenings during the week- definitely a plus!

Specials:

Wednesday - $45 mani-pedi

Sunday - $25 shellac mani

Tuesday - either or a combo of the above specials

Blowouts - $30

More info: http://www.m-salon.ca/

Just ONE more reason to love this MTL neighbourhood. You should go!

Mind, Taste, Love.

Lifestyle: Bota Bota-Spa Sur L'Eau

Bota Bota: Spa sur L'Eau

An urban retreat.

Address: 358 rue de la Commune ouest, Montreal, QC

Phone:(514) 284-0333

Step out onto the ship deck, breathe in the summer air. Relax by the pool and take in the scenery around you. To your right, other boats and jet skis pass. To your left..........wait........is that Old Montreal?

Yup! That's because you're at Bota Bota Spa sur L'Eau. A stationary ferryboat parked in the Old Port waiting for you to embark. Once a working ferryboat, now a floating spa, Bota Bota is THE place to go if you're looking for some R&R. Whether taking advantage of their water circuit, getting a massage in one of their cabins, attending a yoga/pilates class, or eating at their restaurant, you are sure to leave feeling revitalized.

The water circuits include saunas, steam room, cold pools, and hot pools, which should be used in a specific sequence in order to reap the benefits associated with thermal therapy (see steps here: http://botabota.ca/en/nordic-spa-montreal-water-circuit-thermal-bath/). You could also choose to simply relax and tan on any of the decks- a little stay-cation for anyone in need of an escape! 

The restaurant overlooking the water is also lovely. Have lunch catered by l'Auberge Saint Gabriel's "Auberge sur La Route", or sip on a fruity cocktail, while lying on a dreamy sun bed. Drink in one hand, magazine in the other. I could literally feel the stress melting away. 

If you are fortunate enough to have some days off between Monday and Thursday, take advantage of their reduced weekday pricing. You could also arrive before 11 am from Mon - Thurs, or after 6 pm any day of the week for a reduced rate for use of the water circuit (starting at $35/person). No reservation is needed for the water circuit, but if you plan on getting a massage or treatment, definitely call to make an appointment beforehand.

Another great aspect about this place is that it is opened year round. Make use of the hot pools, while surrounded by the magical old port in wintertime. Or go at night and watch the sunset. Either way, you are in for a treat.

If you're in need of some R&R, a romantic outing, or just a day out with friends, look no further than Bota Bota Spa Sur L'Eau.

All aboard!

***Tips*** 

If you burn easily, bring sunscreen- they don't sell on the boat. 
Bring a re-fillable water bottle- they have water on the boat, but no cups.
You give your credit card info when you arrive, and can then make all payments with a bracelet they give you, so don't worry about bringing cash.

Check Bota Bota's website for some great events they have coming up!

Get a lobster roll from Homard des Iles afterwards- it's right near the entrance to the spa! Yum!

Lobster Roll @ Homard des Iles

Mind, Taste, Love.