by Martin Morin
Take heart! Spring is finally with us, even if there’s still some of that (beautiful?) white snow on the ground in Montreal. If the weather’s good, it’s time to get out into the sunshine and fresh air. Here are a few suggestions for things to do in the city during the month of April. And no fish, we promise! [image credit: iStock]
It’s the third time round for the official Mac n' Cheese Week, which runs from 3 to 10 April. Notable participating establishments include bistro La Fabrique (with its brunch version), Danny St-Pierre's La Petite Maison, Notkins, Les Torchés and many others!
No need to leave town to sample maple delights. Did you know that chef Laurent Godbout has concocted a special menu at Quai Jacques-Cartier, which can be experienced throughout April on Friday and Saturday nights as well as Sunday afternoon? If you have a car, cross a bridge or take the tunnel and go satisfy your sweet tooth just minutes from Montreal!
April marks the mouth-watering start of food truck season. This year, no fewer than 25 trucks will be plying the streets of the city to offer you a lunch hour – or snack break – with a difference, from Pizzeria 900 to the Duck Truck and the Boîte à Fromages. See our list for all the details.
A stroll around the Jardin Botanique (Botanical Garden) is always exceedingly pleasant. Make the most of April and go see the butterflies flying freely in the large greenhouse. “All around you, hundreds of colourful butterflies flutter about in the heart of a lush natural setting. Their mesmerising flight inspires calm and invites you to unwind,” we’re told. This expo will be over at the end of the month.
Blue Metropolis is a charitable organisation whose mission is “to bring people of different languages and cultures together around the joy of reading and writing, allowing creativity and intercultural understanding to flourish.” From 24 to 30 April, attend literary events, exhibitions, and meetings with authors such as Geneviève Blouin, André Marois, Jeik Dion, Gautier Langevin, Cathon, Alexandre Fontaine Rousseau and many others. And on 24 April, take part in poetic bingo, featuring a game of cadavre exquis, also known as a “game of consequences.” Check the event page for the full program of events and locations.
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The legendary Harlem Globetrotters will be at the Bell Centre on 9 April. We’re betting they’ll win the game... Enjoy a bite to eat or have a drink in one of the nearby establishments, before or after the game!
Head downtown and visit the Museum of Fine Arts to take in “Chagall, colour and music,” the nation’s largest exhibition devoted to the master. Take the opportunity to check out the works of photographer and videographer Leila Alaoui, who died in an attack by Al Qaeda in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, in January 2016.
With the weather taking a turn for the better, take a walk about town and do some window shopping. Rue Saint-Denis, la Cath, Wellington in Verdun, Laurier Street, Notre-Dame Street, West Fleury... which shopping street is missing from your life? Go for a walk and immerse yourself in the world of an unknown neighbourhood!
Okay, so perhaps it’s not super exciting, but take the opportunity to declutter a bit and get rid of clothes and things you no longer need. Why not take them to a self-help business, such as Renaissance, Chaînon or Maison du père? And when it’s time to get scrubbing, please think of the environment and use eco-friendly products!
Visit one (or more!) of Montreal’s many small neighbourhood libraries, load up on books and head to a café to get reading. That’s what we call time well-spent!
