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July 25, 2010 | Posted in Blog, Life, Photography, Travel

As a designer, I have always loved and appreciated different types of architectural styles. One of the first things I will pay extreme attention to in a new city is the architecture. Located near Rue Notre-Dame is the famous Château Ramezay. It is one of the most charming and well preserved historic buildings that I had visited. This building was built in 1705 as the the residence of Claude de Ramezay, the Governor of Montréal. It’s distinctive and simple architecture includes a sloping roof, stone wall and beautiful garden. Today the building has been converted into a historical museum and features a collection of 18th and early 19th century furniture and other historic artifacts.

(Château Ramezay Entrance)

(A miniature of Château Ramezay)

One of the highlights of this visit was the English guided tour of the Museum. I got to walk through all of the rooms with our guide. Each room has a historic story and artifacts relating to Montreal. The first room exhibits the first inhabitants of the Island of Montreal. The guide explained that when Jacques Cartier first arrived, he was greeted by nearby native American villagers. Jacques misunderstood the villages and thought the village name was “Hochelaga.” What he actually heard was “Oshahaka” which means “people of the hand.”

(The story of the “Oshahaka” which means “people of the hand,” photo by Akito)

In the next room, I saw more paintings, models, maps and historic artifacts. One of my favorite is the first car of Quebec with the license plate of Q1. Across form the car there is a photo on the wall dating back to 1884 from the Montreal Winter Carnival. I guess Canadians were trying to make winter as fun as possible. On the right side of that wall there is the Montreal Coat of Arms, Concordia Salus. It was made by Jacques Viger in 1933. The idea is to express the desire for the harmonious coexistence between French, English, Scots and Irish. He used the beaver as the cultural symbol for French, which is no longer in use in the modern days.

(Fashion for the upper class)

(Items belong to the upper class)

(The first car in Quebec)

(Standing next to the Q1 car)

(Montreal Coat of Arms, Concordia Salus)

We followed the guide to the basement area where we saw how the French colonists used to live. The guide explained that they have one big room similar to our studio apartment (all in one). The roller on the upper right allowed them to grill their food. It’s connected by a string to the fireplace. They put a dog and a bone inside the roller to let the dog run for it. This helps them grill the food without having to turn it.

(The roller and the fire place as described above)

(A folded chair/table used by the family, could it be the 1st Ikea invention?)

(They need to go out to get the water everytime so they made the sink very low to save the water usage)

(The worker posing for me outside the garden area)

Château Dufresne one of my other favorite architectures. It’s the former residence of the Dufresne brothers. They were wealthy French Canadian business men who asked Jules Renard to design their mansion. The interior of the mansion was decorated with murals and ceiling paintings by Guido Nincheri in the 1920s. On the ground floor there is an exhibition that explained more of the history and featured objects from that period. Overall it’s a fun tour that takes you back to the 19th century period.

(Left is the furniture photo and the right is photo before renovation)

(The ground floor exhibition)

(The beautiful plates own by them)

(Interior design)

(Cups from that historic period)

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July 15, 2010 | Posted in Blog, Life, Photography, Travel

Day 3: Rue Notre-Dame, Reminiscent of the Past

We started our day by visiting Rue Notre-Dame. It’s one of the oldest streets in Montreal, which runs parallel to the St. Lawrence River. It’s also the home to where Basilique Notre-Dame reside. The church’s architecture is among the most beautiful in the world; I was impressed by the colors, size and the ceiling height, as well as the details in the church. It’s well worth the visit.

(Outside of Basilique Notre-Dame)

(Basilique Notre-Dame’s exterior)

(Basilique Notre-Dame’s interior)

(Basilique Notre-Dame’s interior design)

To top it off, we went to visit the Chateau Ramezay Museum, another great architecture. This famous chateau is named after the French colonial governor Claude de Ramezay in 1705. This was a great museum with lot’s of history in it. It housed French and British colonial governments before serving as the headquarters for the American Revolutionaries. We did a English guided tour which will be explained on my next blog post. Oh one last thing, make sure you check out the gardens on your visit before you leave the chateau.

(A mini version of Chateau Ramezay)

(First car of Quebec with license plate “Q1″)

As we headed down on Rue Notre-Dame, we stopped by Sir George-Etienne Cartier Mansion. This mansion is the former home of Sir George-Etienne Cartier a French-Canadian statesman and Father of Confederation. The home has been restored back to the Montreal bourgeoisie style during1860. The old French furnishing in the mansion made me feel like I just stepped into a different era.

(Sir George-Etienne Cartier Mansion)

(Bedroom inside Sir George-Etienne Cartier)

(Sir George-Etienne Cartier Mansion Showcase – Where did the number go?)

We had our last meal at Cabaret Du Roy. Their Duck Confit with Red Wine Caramel Sauce was top of the line. The meat was so tender and the flavor was so delicious. Check out the place if you happen to be in Montreal. We loved our trip to Montreal, but it’s time to say good bye to this beautiful city. with charms.

(Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours Chapel)

(French bread at Cabaret Du Roy)

(Beer at Cabaret Du Roy)

(Duck Confit with Red Wine Caramel Sauce)

(Us at Cabaret Du Roy)

(Day 3 Trip Plan: Rue Notre-Dame, Basilique Notre-Dame, Chateau Ramezay Museum, Sir George-Etienne Cartier Mansion, Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours Chapel and lunch at Cabaret Du Roy).

Read More at Day 1, Day 2, Day 3.

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| Posted in Blog, Life, Photography, Travel

Day 1: Montreal, A Taste of Europe

Bonjour! I took a long weekend to visit Montreal with my fiancé and my friend, Akito. We arrived safe and sound after a 7 hour drive from New York to Montreal. Montreal has a very European feel and it was a lot more French than I’d imagined. We wandered around the city center for a little bit, getting a feel for the place. I did a quick walk down towards the tourist office to collect some tourist brochures. With only a very short time (3 days) in Montreal I planned to do and see as much as possible.

(Interesting car meter painted with stripe colors)

We stopped by the Cathedral of Marie-Reine-du-Monde Montreal (Mary Queen of the World Cathedral). It’s the first catholic cathedral in Montreal. Also known as one-third replica of St. Peters in Rome. Many people pass off this church to go to Notre-Dame instead, but it is not to be missed by me!

(Mary Queen of the World Cathedral Exterior)

(Mary Queen of the World Cathedral Altar)

(Mary Queen of the World Cathedral’s Candles)

(Mary Queen of the World Cathedral Interior)

Then we headed into the Rue Notre-Dame and stumbled into the Notre Dame Basilica, the oldest church known for it’s intricately designed interior. There were a wedding ceremony going on, so we couldn’t get to visit the church. So we decided to do the Calèche (horse-drawn carriage) tours which lasting 30 minutes ($48). The thing I enjoyed most about the horse carriage is that it feels like stepping back in time. The scene of old French architecture with cobblestone streets fool you into thinking you’re in Paris.

(Rue Notre-Dame)

(My fiancé and I sitting inside the horse carriage)

(My best friend Akito sitting inside the horse carriage)

(View from the horse carriage, Old Montreal)

(Performance and activities in Place Jacques-Cartier Square)

(Old Montreal filled with tourists)

We spent rest of the day strolling in the beautiful, historic Old Montreal, admiring the architectures, walking around the Vieux-Port, and touring Bonsecours Market and Rue Des Artistes. Old Montreal had plenty of charm and sights that I couldn’t resist. There is so much to see and do here – from museums, neighborhoods with all that history.

(Old Port, the piers offer boat tours and trips to the islands.)

(Old Port, the views of the city and the St Lawrence River are great. )

(Cirque Du Soleil by the Vieux-Port)

(The oldest Montreal’s streets is home to the Bonsecours Market and the Notre-Dame De-Bonsecours Chapel.)

(Souvenirs shop inside the Bonsecours Market)

(Performers sing on the street by Rue Saint -Paul, photo by Akito)

It was getting late and by this time, I was really feeling tired and hungry. We picked out a Steak House called Vieux-Port Steak House. It food was worth the 45 minutes wait, I highly recommend.

(Vieux-Port Steak House Menu)

(Rue Des Artistes in Vieux-Montreal)

So, I brought some souvenirs and got some great food in my stomach. We explored the entire area and were so impressed at the European atmosphere. I love my trip to Montreal! Day 2 to be continued…

(Day 1 Trip Plan: Mary Queen of the World Cathedral, Underground City, Notre-Dame Basilica, Calèche – horse-drawn carriage, Old Montreal, Vieux-Port, Place Jacques-Cartier Square, Bonsecours Market, Vieux-Port Steak House, and Rue Des Artistes).

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