There's Nothing Like the Big City: Montreal
Summer 2007 Girlfriend Getaways> Subscribe Now
Where to Kick Up Your Heels
Grown-up drinks: Inside the Hotel Place d'Armes, Suite 701 is a lounge with leather banquettes; it specializes in martinis (and cute banker types, if you're into that).
Outdoor seating: For expertly prepared mojitos served in airy white cabanas, each of which features a sleek, pillow-covered bed alongside tables and chairs, head to Time Boutique Café.
Till midnight: If Le Blanc's fusion menu isn't entertaining enough, the live music (jazz, swing, or pop, depending on the night) definitely will be.
Till 3 A.M.: At Altitude 737, atop one of the tallest buildings in Montreal, fancy cocktails accompany dance music and amazing views.
Till dawn: Stereo, fitted with one of the best you-know-what systems in the city, is the late-night destination of jet-setters, drag queens, and club kids for dancing into the morning.
Something you'll regret: A Montreal institution, Le 281 features male exotic dancers--not Chippendale types, but more contemporary versions of hotness, such as the jock, the hipster, and the intellectual. If you need to work up courage, shots (including one named "The Orgasm") are mixed right at your table.
What's for Dinner?
Fab but not fussy, the delicious seven-course tasting menu at Toqué!--with native ingredients such as Nova Scotia princess scallops and Basses-Laurentides suckling pig--is a big draw for foodies.
The Italian cuisine at Buonanotte, a hotspot for 15 years, is secondary to the scenester vibe and beautiful-people crowd: George Clooney and Gisele Bündchen are among the celebs who've been spotted here. Around midnight, a DJ spins club music.
Pamper Yourself
Rainspa's soothing waterfalls and softly lit rooms--plus the only real hammam (Turkish bath) in town--make the bustle of Old Montreal seem miles away.
So Gloppy, but So Darn Good
Poutine is a disgusting (yet tasty!) combo of french fries, cheese curds, and gravy--it's most commonly enjoyed after a drink or five, but at La Banquise, a beloved hole-in-the-wall, you can order the dish 24 hours a day.
Streets Made for Shopping
Boulevard St.-Laurent (bet. avenues Laurier and Bernard): up-and-coming designers like Denis Gagnon, Marie-M, and Renata Morales.
Rue Ste.-Catherine (bet. rue de la Montagne and rue Aylmer): mainstream Canadian brands (Roots, Browns, Jacob) and classic department stores (Ogilvy, La Baie, Simons).
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