BIXI

If you’ve noticed lately, BIXI stations have been popping all over the city. For those of us unfamiliar with the system, it’s time to get acquainted with it and saddle up. To get you started, BIXI has a new promotion, buy a year subscription before May 15 and get $10.00 off. That’s $68.00 for 7 months!

Last year, the BIXI system was launched in Montreal. There are two options on how to use the BIXI, either become a member (pay yearly or monthly), or for the traveller buy a day pass. To become a member, it’s quite simple.

Members pay a year fee of $78.00 or a monthly fee of $28.00, and receive a BIXI key. With the BIXI key, a member can take out a BIXI bike at any station. The first 30 minutes is free, anything after that is at your own cost.

A 24 hour pass will cost you $5.00, as well as a hefty security deposit on your credit card of $250.00. The same rule applies for the usage as a member, the first 30 minutes is free and anything after is at your own cost. If you do become a member, note that there is no security deposit fee.

BIXI bikes are expected to be rolled out on May 1st, however if the warm weather persists and the city is able to get their act together by cleaning up the streets, we may soon be BIXI-ing.

Love the city you are in.

Amour de Montreal

Fair Trade Coffee - Cafe Rico

Like any other Saturday morning, you may find me sitting on my comfy chair in the living room, curled up reading the Gazette. Depending on the mood, I may have freshly cut toasted bread with wild berry jam, warm French Brioche, a crispy and airy croissant or a bowl full of oatmeal topped with yogurt and juicy local strawberries. Regardless of my mood, I always enjoy my Saturday breakfast with a big bowl of soy-latté.

Nothing makes a weekend day, with a fresh brew. It doesn’t matter if its peculated, made in a French press or an espresso machine. The smell and taste of coffee is a perfect way to start the day. But what makes my morning special is the fact that I buy my coffee from Café Rico.

Café Rico is a fair trade company that supports its farmers and producers of coffee grains in Latin America as well as other countries. Café Rico coffee may be found in local neighbourhood grocery stores in Montreal. And if you can’t find it in your area, then you may have to make your way to their coffee house.

Café Rico can be found on the corner of Rachel Street and Boyer Street. If you’re not looking to buy coffee by the pound, don’t fret, it’s worth the trek to grab a cup of coffee and one of their freshly baked goods. Their coffee shop is a wonderful place to unwind and read a good book. Unlike other coffee chains, the atmosphere is warm and inviting.

Another thing to note is that if you are a student, you receive 10 percent off the coffee you buy.

So next time when you finish the last bit of coffee in your coffee container, fill it up with some Café Rico coffee. You’ll notice the difference in taste and also know that you are making a difference.

Love the city you are in.

Amour de Montreal

Café Rico
969 Rue Rachel Est

Metro : Mont Royal

Journal Entry

I hope that all of you are taking time to enjoy the weather.


As for me I am catering to my guest for the long weekend, my mother.

Will return with blog entries this Monday.

WORN Fashion Journal

Travelling.


It’s one of the most rewarding things to do in life, to see and to discover new cities. But the thing that I love most is the people that I meet on my journeys.

Two years ago, I took the Amtrak from Montreal to New York City and like most train rides, I always find myself meeting the most interesting and fascinating people. And that very Friday, I spent the next 12 hours chatting with Serah-Marie McMahon about life, fashion, style and business.

For those of you don’t know Ms. McMahon, she is the editor and publisher of WORN Fashion Journal which is published twice a year in Canada. Unlike other fashion magazine, such as Vogue, that publishes the latest trends, the primary focus of WORN is about Fashion, what makes Fashion, Fashion. Highlighting a few topics of the current issue, an article entitled “Beauty as Duty” that investigates the fashion of WWII propaganda campaign and another that discusses the history of Keffiyeh.

The journal itself is creative filled with fashion education and fashion pop culture. The nature of the journal is quite simple, but yet inventive and original. Does that make sense? Not sure. But it takes questions that are not usually asked about fashion, and makes you think twice. That’s what I like about it.

And returning back to that long train ride, we finally reached the end of the track, both of us going on our separate ways. Mine, to discover New York City, and hers, a fashion conference. Recalling our conversation on the train ride, I vividly remember her strong personality and most importantly her passion and dedication of the work she does. And those qualities still resonate each time I pick up a copy of WORN.

So when you are in that mood to pick up something to read, go to one of the shops that offer WORN. These shops are listed on their “Where to Buy” page.

Love the city you are in, and support our local publishers.

Amour de Montreal

WORN Fashion Journal

Francisation Program: Learning French

http://www.csdm.qc.ca/EducationAdultes/Programmes/FrancaisLangueSeconde.aspxBonjour, Ca va?

Are you new to our city? Or been here a while and still have not mastered “la langue Française”.

Well I am letting you know that you can jump on the language wagon and learn French for the price of a week’s groceries, or a night of debauchery.

Long story short, in order to promote French language, the government of Quebec offers a Francisation program. The Francisation program is an intensive program lasting two months per level. There are 6 levels in total, then onwards writing classes. The program is subsidized meaning that when you enroll and take French classes, you need to pay an administration fee of $40.00 to your local centre that offers the courses and $10.00 for the course materials and photocopies. That’s it! Learning French has never been so cheap, compared to private institutions.

Classes usually run during the day Monday through Friday, from morning to mid-afternoon. If you work during the day, fear not, they offer intensive night classes Monday to Thursday. Time schedules differ from one centre to the next.

If you are coming out of a job, and have a certain amount of hours, you may be eligible for Emploi Quebec’s training program. They pay you to learn French!

For myself, it was a big change compared to university French; for once I was able to interact with other people and with the teacher. The daily interaction helped big time, and the improvement has shown. So take time learn French.

For more information, click here.

Love the province you are in.

Amour de Montreal.