FFQing in Montreal
Regular Everyday Tourist readers know FFQ stands for "fun, funky and quirky"and FFQing is the art of looking for FFQ things to see and do in a city, town or village. We have been in Montreal for just a week now and already we have a good list of FFQ things for visitors.
These images also serve a fun postcards of everyday Montreal and the text tells some interesting Montreal stories.
You have to admit this is fun, funky and quirky. Found this black and white carport artwork while wandering along Boulevard St. Laurent aka The Main (because it is Main Street and divides the city into east and west). The Main is full of fun murals in the alleys and on the side of buildings at street corners. It makes this street a fun place to flaneur. You can find this garage at 4866 St. Laurent.
Jean Toss: Yes that is a pair of jeans (look at the top of the photo near the pillar) being tossed by staff at Jeans Jeans Jeans from a rack on the other side of the store to the fitting area. It is better than the fish toss at Seattle's Pike Market. Go on Saturday afternoon and you won't be disappointed. See video below.
Captured this surreal light show at south-west entrance of the Montreal Convention Centre. The sun shining through the building's coloured glass facade created a wonderful mosaic on the escalator, steps, walls and floor inside the building. It is like walking into a stain glass window.
This is a close-up of the Olympic Torch sculpture on the plaza in front of the offices of the Canadian Olympic headquarters. The yellow and orange colours dance like a flame and the stainless steel reflects the street life to create a fun artwork that works well both day and night. IMHO
Stumbled upon a fun Barbie Doll exhibition in Montreal's Underground City. There were hundreds of dolls with designer clothes in display cases on the walls, as well as several fun vignettes, like this fashion show which was animated with models on runway and flashing cameras in the audience. See video below. The noise you hear is the fountain in the middle of the exhibition space.
If you are in Montreal, you have to go to a Cirque du Soleil show. We caught the OVO show at the Bell Centre - it was a wonderful smash-up of ballet, gymnastics, circus, music and visual arts. Fun entertainment for everyone!
Walking home one night discovered this quirky roof top artwork? patio?
Ecole de technologie Superieure's (ETS) funky campus is located in Griffintown just west of the downtown core. One of the buildings has a very strange and subtle white on white design best seen from across the street. I took this b&w photo to try and capture it. Planning to revisit and see if I can do a walkabout inside. Click Here For More Info.
Chabanel Street was once home to Montreal's bustling garment district. Today there are still many wholesalers who have showrooms there and on Saturdays some of them are open to the public. It is a fun place to wander as you never know what you will find. We got to see some of the Fall 2017 lines before the buyers did and heard stories of the good old days. We also discovered this ghostly fashion show of mannequins in one of the empty spaces.
These urban igloos were a quirky surprise. Turns out everyone on this street of row houses has white plastic carports. I am guessing it is winter adaptation due to the fact Montreal gets lots of snow. I sure hope they remove them after winter!
This is another of Montreal's amazing public spaces that uses light and colour to create wonderful pedestrian experiences. This is at the Place des Art.
A remnant of the Berlin Wall, is on permanent display in the middle of the Ruelle des Fortifications in the lobby of the Montreal World Trade Center building. The lobby is located on the former site of Montreal's walled fortifications which were built in 1717 and demolished between 1804 and 1812.
The fragment, donated to the City of Montréal by the City of Berlin to commemorate Montréal’s 350th anniversary, is a testament to Berlin's return to the community of free cities after the fall of the Wall on November 9, 1989.
This is not Montreal's "Red Light District." In several places we encountered red lights from buildings shining on the sidewalk creating a fun (and warm) pedestrian experience. I am interested in seeing how it works in the snow.
This wall of blue lights changes colours as pedestrians walk by SAT (Societe des Art Technologiques) building. It serves as funky window covering to give some privacy to those working inside the school while also enhancing the pedestrian experience. How cool is that?
Found these "pom pom" ladies creating a playful window display along Boulevard St. Laurent.
This is the hallway to the elevators at Place Ville Marie to their Observation Deck on the 44/45/46 floors. It is literally like walking into a geometric painting. FFQ for sure!
This was lucky find! It was in a restaurant under construction in Little Burgundy. I was stopped in my tracks by two guys carrying in a huge mirror from the street. I couldn't resist looking inside and this is what I found. Wasn't that a party?
I am astounded at the number of contemporary art galleries in Montreal. And they are everywhere, not just in the City Centre - Old Montreal, Little Burgundy, St Laurent, Rue St. Hubert, Plateau and Miles End.
Last Word
And this was after only five days? Montreal is very fun, very funky and very quirky! My kind of town!