This week, we are welcoming Nadine from Robin 2 brousse, a blog about marketing & economic development. You can also find her on Saudad.com, on instagram @morena_loca7 and on Pinterest. Nadine is also working on a wonderful crowfunding project related to improve access education in a village in Cameroon, where she is originaly from. Please do have a look on #EcoleDigne Project.

I’m super excited not only because we are tackling one of my fave city in the world, but more importantly because my friend Nadine is the go-to person for any tips, addresses in general and I know she is generous so we will all benefit from her 😉 Enjoy!

With love,

Mymy

Since when do you live in Montréal?

I lived in Montreal for 13 years and decided to move to Toronto last July after a 6 months trip abroad.

What makes Montréal so special?

I left Montreal last December and since I got back to Canada, I have really realized how much I love the city. Montreal is the perfect mix of the European and American culture. Summers there are amazing, there are a lot of free festivals and outdoor activities going on.

I love the fact that it’s a multicultural city, which really fits with my international background. There are a lot of places to visit, museums are pretty great and the architecture is nice. Being a foodie, I can appreciate its wide variety of restaurants with international cuisine.

Finally, Montreal is an island. I used to work very closed to the South Shore and I loved the fact that I could watch the St Laurent from my desk everyday. My favourite neighborhoods:

1. The Old Port and its European architecture and you have a great view of the river. You can also enjoy a nice diner on a boat and watch Montreal from the St Laurent. I used to go and walk in the Old Port every time I missed Paris.
2. NDG and especially Monkland Village is a great neighborhood with lots of nice little coffee shops, shops and restaurants. I used to go to my favourite place for brunch Orange Cafe. It’s affordable, the food is great. This place is an institution in NDG.
3. St laurent street and The Plateau. If you like vintage, these are the places to go! I found my favourite jacket in a consignment store on St Laurent for only $20 bucks!!!
4. The Gay Village is just a great place to hang out during the summer. It’s always a party there!

 

Pros / cons of living in this city?

Pros:

1. It’s a cosmopolitan city but I love the fact that the city is very accessible. Public transit is effective.
2. You also have easy access to a lot of parks right in the city. The city is great for families.
3. The cost of living is relatively low. You can afford huge apartments with lots of closet place for less than $1,000.
4. I love street art and I feel like contrary to places like in London where Murals can be considered as vandalism, Montreal really embraces street artists. There is a great festival (Mural Festival) that takes place in Montreal every June. The murals stay up all year long, which give the city a lot of personality.

Cons

1. The winter is though man!!! And long. It’s because of it that I decided to move to Toronto.
2. Montreal is part of Quebec, where French is the official language. I think that the fact that the province has to “compete” with the rest of the country, made people from Quebec – in my opinion – a little insecure about the rest of Canada.
3. There are not as many opportunities in Montreal than in Toronto for instance. The language barrier, higher taxes are big obstacles to encourage entrepreneurs or big companies. I also think that in Quebec, we are less open-minded as the rest of Canada.

 

Your favourite restaurant/brunch/lounge

Brunch: Orange Café in NDG

Lounge-Club: Peopl in Old Montreal.

Restaurant: Man there are so many.

• Nouveau Deli Express for Indian Food in Verdun
• Red Tiger for vietnamese tapas – The village
• Mikado for sushi – Le plateau
• La Buvette Chez Simone – Mile End

Coffee Shop and other:

• Cafe 92° in NDG the coffee is to die for
• St Viateur in the Mile End – Best bagels ever

 

Your favourite clothing/beauty shop:

I usually just buy stuff from lots of small and random places or in regular places like Gap or Zara. I prefer shopping online on international websites to find unique pieces.

I don’t really put on makeup so I just go to the pharmacy to find beauty products. I mostly use a lot of organic products from Cameroon.

• Eva B – Consignment store. You can get a bite of chill on the patio while looking for your next best find
• Tony Pappas – Shoe Store in The Plateau

 

You favourite bookshop/museum/music venue:

• Fav bookshop – Indigo-Chapters on St Catherine. I also like hanging out in second hand bookstores. There are a lot of them in the Plateau. But to be completely honest, I usually go to Indigo to check stuff out and buy books on itunes.
• Fav museum: Museum of Beaux Arts on Sherbrooke street.
• Music Venue: Club Soda is a very intimate venue.

 

Give us 5 hotspots right now including restaurants, shoppings, clubbing:

I have been away from Montreal for almost a year so I wouldn’t know what’s hot right now. Plus, I usually go out based on my mood and to discover new places. I really don’t like to go to trendy places. I prefer originality and more intimate spots.

 

In your opinion how would you qualify the Montréal way of life?

I would say it’s a mix of a lot of different things. Lots of contrasts.

 

What is the best with people Montréalais?

They are easy-going and honest.

 

Give one word that describe your relationship with the city:

Love-Hate 😀

I hate it when it’s cold. Summers are amazing and everytime I travel, I really miss my fav places and my super fast internet. LOL

Illustration by: Monica Kim Garza, on Insta @monicakimgarza, and on her website.