Montreal

Saturday at 11am, checking in at the brand new W Montreal which officially opened its doors in Nov. '04.  Around midnight, the same lounge will be packed with Canadian scenesters, all vying to get into Plateau (upstairs lounge) or Wonderbar (the club).

The infamously comfortable W bed.  Mink throw and pillow.  Faux.

Blue, all glass, "voyeur's" shower placed strategically next to the bed.  Spacious.

Bathroom is not that interesting.  On the dark and chilly side.  The best part is the see-through shower.

A copy of the hipster magazine Wallpaper lying on the chaise lounge.  This issue highlights 2005's best cities:  San Francisco is one of them, among Mumbai, Mexico City, and Istanbul.

Munching on a double ice-cream cone in the Underground City, a network of shopping malls all connected by underground passageways.  Most people take shortcuts below ground to safeguard against the fierce winter weather.  9 degrees is the high today.

Getting ready to head out to dinner at Toque, rumored to be the best restaurant in not only Montreal, but all of Quebec.  Only two blocks from the hotel... Thank the blessed Lord, since it is now 2 degrees outside!

But first, a pre-dinner cocktail at Plateau.  Peach Almond Bellini for K, and a Bombay Tonic for P.

I guess the W Montreal's theme color is blue.

Enjoyed a superb six course Chef's tasting menu for two at Toque.  I love it when restaurants give you a cheese course IN ADDITION to a traditional sweet dessert.  Attentive, polite service (all the servers are so friendly, unlike the out of work actors in NYC).  Not a trendy establishment (mostly older diners), but worth the price.  Highly recommended.

After a martini and a bottle of wine, I insist on taking multiple photos of P in the very "scenic" foyer of the restaurant.

Post dinner, we walk back to the hotel to hail a cab.  It's a major scene at the W, with mobs of 20- to 30-somethings waiting in line to drink and dance the night away.  We choose instead to gamble our money away... at Casino de Montreal on Ile Notre Dame.

After brunch at L'Express, one of Montreal's oldest French bistros, we hit the (cold) streets for a bit of shopping. 

A late afternoon snack break at Frites Alors!... a no frills place specializing in, you guessed it, Belgian style french fries!  Selecting from dozens of different dips & sauces is the fun part.  And they taste best with beer.

Exploring another portion of the vast Underground City...

We haven't taken many photos outdoors mostly because it's so cold, but in all honesty, Montreal isn't very picturesque.  There are lots of charming, quaint streets in the Old Village and tall skyscrapers downtown, but we also see tons of graffiti and XXX shops on the popular pedestrian streets.

It's Sunday night and we're feeling a bit under the weather.  It's freezing outside and the Golden Globes are on... What's a boring married couple to do? 

Order a ton of room service and pig out while criticizing the fashion choices made by the stars!

Croque Monsieur, grilled mahi mahi, jumbo prawns, and more frites.  See the cheese plate in the top left corner?  K ate all of it herself.  P leaves Montreal with a hunk of cheese by his side instead of a wife.