Le 63

Once upon a time I used to perform burlesque.
It was in this world that I met Amélie, we clicked, we performed duos on stage (dual strip!), our most memorable number was a duo of bandaged mummies unraveling to the Bangles' Walk like an Egyptian.  It was through my new friend and her partner Richard that I was introduced to the world of kitsch and motorcycles.  Meticulously groomed in vintage styles, they had a home decor to match and a crew of biker friends. The couple also taught me that showing up for my first bike ride in flip flops and short shorts were a no-no.

Fast forward many years later: I have since hung up my pasties, and Amélie and Richard have opened two vintage shops (Kitsch'n'Swell & Rokokonut) and their latest baby Le 63, which focuses on a lifestyle on two wheels.

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I pulled up a stool and had a coffee at their counter as Amélie introduced me to some of the styling products that they sell at the shop for your (mostly male) grooming needs.  In the above picture it's kind of hard to tell, but that is one giant tub of Layrite pomade of the Hawleywoods barbershop fame. It apparently styles like wax but washes out like it's no big deal.  If you hold the big jar in one hand and give it a light tap you can feel the product jiggle! Yeah, I tried it out myself, and you can too!

This lovely set of products comes from Brooklyn Grooming, they take care of your beard follicles, mustache whiskers and your freshly inked tattoo.  All made with natural and organic ingredients, invoking your favourite BK hoods: Williamsburg, Fort Greene and my personal soft spot Red Hook.  All of their products are available online at BK Grooming's efficient site but Le 63 is the only brick and mortar retailer where you can pick up their wares in Montreal.  So pull up a chair and introduce yourself to Amélie and Richard, allez: beautify!

Marc Jacobs Honey

I know Montreal's gone a little food truck crazy, (I give you 3 links!) but when I stepped out of a downtown office, I did a bit of a double take. What do I see?

That's right: a soft serve ice cream food truck covered in white on yellow polka dots handing out free cones.  Wait? Marc Jacobs makes ice cream now?  No silly, this is a mega marketing campaign for Jacobs' newest perfume Honey.  This idea was made in PR heaven! With the ice cream came free perfume samples that described the new scent as "a sunny delicious floral with sparkling notes of orange blossom and a hint of honey."  Only a hint? Yup, mostly orange, as stated, with vague memories of childhood.
And the ice cream? I did not end up getting a cone, but I hope it tasted like honey.

Winter is coming

Pardon the obvious popular culture reference.
But in fashion and publishing in general, being at least a season ahead is the norm.
Resort 14? That already happened.

On a steamy hot day Cloé and Geneviève prep a model in fall/winter13 wear

Espace Infopresse: Venissage

Simply billed as an "exposition multidisciplinaire" several UQAM art students threw down a minimalist vernissage in the very lovely Espace Infopresse, like a one night stand.

Symmetrical, sleek and sexy: Jardins des Tuileries by Dominic Poirier

Looking into the untitled video installation by Ariel Méthot and Emmanuel Rinfret

Station16 Gallery x Mural Festival

Mural Festival is a brand spanking new urban art affair that celebrates the artists that contribute to city landscapes.  In its inaugural year, LNDMRK has curated, as its main event, the production of over twenty murals up St-Laurent boulevard to be created by local and international artists.  Station16 hosted a pop-up gallery to showcase their screen printing prowess and original works by many of their collaborators.  Vernissage yeah!

 patrons add vernissage booze to the paint can display

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garbagebeauty trunk and prints

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oyster collab

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zema up close

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tava on canvas-who's got a red dot?

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editions of prints by stikki peaches, labrona and whatisadam

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botkin

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botkin creature on a wall

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look for nuggets of garbagebeauty's script up and down st-laurent

The 8-Day Week of Renata Morales

One of my most favourite places on earth, the Centre Phi (and the DHC of course) announced that they will be having a series of guest-curated events by some of Montreal's creatives.  The list included filmmaker Xavier Dolan, designer Rad Hourani and Vice co-founder Suroosh Alvi.  First up to bat was designer and all around visually inclined phenomena, Renata Morales who flexed her creative muscles showcasing a pop-up shop, projections, seven nights of partying and a treasure hunt for limited edition posters. 

 getting up close to Renata's work

the pop-up shop featured designers like Arielle de Pinto, Denis Gagnon, and Complex Geometries
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Inside Morales' head: a tinky-winky greets visitors
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Alex Hercule's bear and Joe Becker paintings

foxtrott takes the stage during the closing night

karneef and a ghostly morales clad projection

CN Rail Yards and Bâtiment 7

Montreal does not have any shortages of dilapidated industrial spaces living in limbo of development that can help or hinder its neighborhood.   The former CN rail yards in Pointe-Saint-Charles is 35 hectares of land that was sold to Group Mach in 2006 for 1$.   Propositions for the space have included big box stores and a casino, both of which have been nixed in part by opposition efforts of several citizen-led community groups. In more recent news, the 90 000 square foot building Bâtiment 7 has been given ownership to the collective 7 à nous and the Darling Foundry to develop the building into artist spaces, a gallery, a café and more.  Hooray!!  Read more here.

Recently, I got to poke around the compound while on a shoot.  We were one of three shoots that were on the rail yard site that day-a commercial and a film were also taking advantage of the photogenic area.  The following photos are from the smaller warehouse adjacent to Bâtiment 7.

the model's feet in a shallow pond of accumulated water drippings, pigeon poop and algae