Snow. Classic.

Just when we got to thinking we'd finally be getting off our asses and out the door, riding bikes and getting chased by Canadian geese down by the river in some early spring season threads, this shit happens.

Last-minute snowfalls keeping a layer of white on everything juuuuuuuuuust thin enough to put the paddles on and defibrillate our Seasonal Affective Disorders back into action.

But we shouldn't be all that surprised now, should we? Montreal's full of curveballs, whether it's thinking your planned drive over Doctor Penfield isn't going to be closed by inactive construction sites (it will be) or that something's going to move the needle on the unpopular tuition hikes for English universities (it won't).

But as this Parisian filmmaker's reel on IG we found shows us, there's some light around the corner. Seasons be seasons, and they're going to change. Even this weekend's got some things worth looking forward to—all you gotta do is read on, and soldier on.

Also: Issue #69? Nice.

Activities, parties, points of interest, art exhibitions, you name it: These are the weekend events you don't want to miss.

Thursday

• Cabane Panache's celebration of the sugar shack season starts up in Verdun with music, food, drinks, and lumberjack-style entertainments.
• Just as frosty: The ISU World Figure Skating Championships, the most important annual figure skating event outside of the Olympics, is taking place at the Bell Centre.
• FIFA, the Festival des films sur l’art, keeps on rolling to celebrate films about arts, culture, and new media through shorts and feature films until March 24.

Friday

• Go see SAT Fest's immersive film festival and its selections of more short fulldome films by more than 100 local and international visual and sound artists.
• Music enthusiast and audiophiles alike are going to be gathering at the 35th edition of the Montreal Audiofest at Hotel Bonaventure from March 22 to 24.

Saturday

• The Quebec arts scene is on display with the Grand Éphémère festival, taking place from March 22 to 24 at Perspective 235° and its Passerelle in the Old Port.
• curatedbymuse is launching its first pop-up shop of the year with exclusive items available only at @felixboutique: Details are here.
• The Plateau's Kapara Vintage is hosting what they're calling a 'Giant Thrift Store Pop-up'; details are scant, but they know their shit.

Sunday

• The Art Souterrain Festival's transformation of Montreal’s underground network through art continues, highlighting the contemporary art world.
• The World's Smallest Comedy Club at Hurley's Irish Pub is going to host "an unforgettable night of comedy" with Eric Johnston.

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WHAT TO EAT & DRINK IN AND AROUND MONTREAL

Scope the latest restaurant openings, recommendations on where to eat, plus new menus, old classics, and everything in between.

• There's a new Thai pub opening up in the Plateau on Duluth called Cup, and their grand opening is tonight.
• Surprise: The tiki-forward Chinatown destination Mal Nécessaire is going to be moving, but not before they try to sell every drop of booze in the house.
• The Korean fried chicken chain Chicken Plus has opened in Chinatown and it's lookin' pretty delicious.
• Shout-out to @arethaeats for introducing us to Le Fullsun, a modern Japanese convenience store with a full-on ramen machine.
• Good times are coming to the Old Montreal pub Wolf & Workman as they celebrate their 5th anniversary this Friday.
• The city's first record shop-café hybrid 180g is going to host a boozy brunch with its casse-tête-croûte neighbour Ma Mère En Feu this Saturday.
• You ever try the Sunday Sugo at Mano Cornuto? Another's coming up this Sunday, March 24th with goods from Aliments Viens. $75 = 4 courses
• Mark your calendars: Vinvinvin is hosting Pearl Morissette alongside oysters, a great menu and three must-try vintages at friendly prices on March 26.

Bottomless Pete returns!

What's with all the hype around these spots downtown, these high-end cafeterias, that eschew proper table service in lieu of practically serving yourself? asks Bottomless Pete in their latest review: Amea Café in La Maison Alcan. (The Main)

Bottomless Pete Reviews: Amea Café

Amea take your order?

Bottomless Pete

Here, you'll find a weekly round-up of the latest local news, from entertainment to current affairs and more.

Bowling in the Forum's back, baby 🎳

Those who doubted that the places we once thought timeless couldn’t come back from a world-altering event like a pandemic? Think again. The bowling and sports bar of the Forum's been revived under one plain and simple name: Montreal Bowling. (The Main)

Montreal Bowling: Reviving a relic in the downtown Forum

Tapping into the pre-2020 nostalgia and cultural history of Montrealers, Montreal Bowling’s a new(ish) project from local hospitality aficionados in the Forum.

J.P. Karwacki

You say you want a revolution

Aims to bolster French language protection have more than one contentious aspect, and as critics argue that these measures infringe on minority language rights and hinder economic growth, the province shows no signs of stopping. (Macleans)

Quebec’s New French Revolution - Macleans.ca

When I moved to Montreal, it was a vibrant, multilingual metropolis. Now François Legault is waging war on English and on the cosmopolitanism that makes it Canada’s greatest city.

Macleans.caMark Mann

"Wow, that's news to me"

This one was too good not to share: After returning home from an extended vacation in Costa Rica, a Montreal man got the surprise of a lifetime in the mail—the Quebec government thought he was dead. (CTV News)

Montreal man returns from vacation, gets letter from Quebec government saying he’s dead

After returning home from an extended vacation in Costa Rica, a Montreal man got the surprise of the lifetime in the mail — the Quebec government thinks he’s dead.

Montreal

Interesting choices, but OK

Grigory Lukin says he managed to save enough money to retire at 34 years old and living in Quebec City allows him to spend just over $1,300 monthly on all expenses. (CityNews Montreal)

‘I am not a millionaire’: American retires early at 34, chooses to live in Quebec due to ‘cheaper’ rent

As rent and property values continue to skyrocket across Canada, an American turned Quebecer decided to move to the province to take advantage of the lower cost of living. Grigory Lukin says he managed to save enough money to retire at 34 years old and living in Quebec City allows him to spend just over […]

CityNews MontrealAlyssia Rubertucci

Tell that to the snow this past week

The hope is it will help restaurants and bars that have struggled during the economic slowdown: Business owners can't wait and are quickly getting organized to serve customers outdoors. (CTV News)

Terrasses in Montreal’s Southwest borough to open two weeks early, taking advantage of mild weather

Terrasses in Montreal’s Southwest borough will open two weeks earlier this year and close two weeks later in the fall. The hope is it will help restaurants and bars that have struggled during the economic slowdown.

Montreal

Finally but not so finally

Downtown Montreal between McGill University’s main campus and Place Ville-Marie is the almost entirely torn up. Why? For the major makeover that will turn the space into an ode to the great jazz pianist Oscar Peterson.  (Rabble)

Montreal to honour jazz legend Oscar Peterson with statue and public square

Due to the creation of an underground public transit station, the construction of Place Oscar Peterson has been delayed.

rabble.caMadison Edward-Wright

A love letter to the city

Ivanhoé Cambridge, the real estate company behind the giant ring in front of Place Ville-Marie, has revealed that the relaunch of Le 9e in the Eaton Centre will take place in May. Let's see how well they polish up this "jewel of Montreal’s architectural and cultural heritage". (Cult MTL)

Iconic Montreal Eaton Centre restaurant, cocktail bar, show venue ‘Le 9e’ to reopen in May

Ivanhoé Cambridge has announced the reopening of Le 9e, the restaurant on the ninth floor of the Eaton Centre in Montreal, in early May.

Cult MTLLorraine Carpenter

Now arriving in a completely different world 🛬

Qaunnaaluk is one of a team of five Inuit workers in the Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau International Airport in Montreal on rotation seven days a week. Their mission: The team focuses on support and prevention, offering assistance to Inuit in their first language as they arrive in Montreal. (CBC Montreal)

Montreal’s airport can be a culture shock for Inuit. These front-line workers are there to help | CBC News

A team of five Inuit workers in the Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau International Airport in Montreal on rotation seven days a week as part of a new project run by Makivvik Corporation to help support Inuit.

CBCFollow Rachel on Twitter

It ain't rocket sci— well, maybe it is.

This here's the story of Linda Girolamo of Pizzeria Napoletana in Montreal’s Little Italy and when she was approached by George Defo, who’s part of Space Concordia’s rocketry division. (Global News)

A slice of famous Montreal pizza and how it could find its way to outer space | Globalnews.ca

A Montreal pizzeria is hoping to launch one of its pizzas into space, with the help of Space Concordia’s rocketry division. The pizza’s slice name is the rocket.

Global NewsFelicia Parrillo

And that wraps yet another weekly bulletin. We’ll be back with more curiosities, local stories, and events to discover next week.

If ever you catch something we should know, don't hesitate to reach out to us on Instagram.