Tourists and pot-smoking Montrealers alike gather at sundown at the Belvédère Camillien-Houde viewpoint, which looks east out to the Olympic Stadium and beyond. Car owners unabashedly blare music from their cars, doors ajar, while fat raccoons gingerly maneuver their way into garbage cans (specifically designed to keep them out) and amuse tourists by posturing under…
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Issue 002: Outdoors
Last month, after a short hiatus, we relaunched The Main with a mission: to serve up stories that Montreal needs to read. We’re a digital magazine. We’re a curatorial platform. We’re a #LocalCollective. As part of our new mission, The Main will be driven by a specific editorial theme each month. Our first edition was all…
Read MoreHow Old Is Montreal, Really?
Here’s something that might surprise you: Montreal is not 375 years old. Though it has been three-hundred and seventy-five years since French colonists established a small fortified village called Ville-Marie (near the Pointe à Callière archeological museum), human beings have lived on the island of Montreal for a much longer period of time. Exactly how…
Read MoreOne Montreal Family’s Quest to Bring Neon Back
In a converted, two-story factory workshop, the Atelier Neon Family logo hangs high above a work table. Classical music from a boombox radio fills the room as morning sunshine beams in. The strange glow of neon seems almost eerie in the day but doesn’t suffer for beauty or artistry. Company founder and family patriarch, Gérald…
Read MoreThe Royal Victoria: the History of Montreal’s Famous Hospital on the Hill
At 6:55 a.m. on April 26, a baby boy named Arthur took his first breath. But, unlike thousands of infants born since 1926, Arthur’s parents did not make their way to 687 Pine Avenue when it came time to bring him into the world. Instead, his birth at the McGill University Health Centre’s newly christened…
Read MoreAn Interview with Sugar Sammy: the Importance of Bilingualism and the Best of Montreal
he city of Montreal has had a massive impact on stand-up comedian Samir Khullar, better known as Sugar Sammy. What might surprise you, though, is what exactly Sammy is referring to when he speaks of his beloved Montreal. He’s not talking about English Montreal and he’s not talking about French Montreal — Sugar Sammy has…
Read MoreHistory Lesson: The Cabaret du Mile-End
For the Cabaret du Mile-End, it’s the end of an era. Within the last five years, the venue has supported local performing arts communities. They’ve welcomed artists from all genres and all walks of life to their stage. And, most importantly, they’ve provided the backdrop for countless outstanding nights that Montreal’s showgoers won’t soon forget.…
Read MoreLa Bise, or the French Double-Kiss: A Guide to Greeting in Quebec
“La Bise” is a greeting used around the world that has been making Anglophones feel awkward for centuries. Art by Marco Paradiso Knowing how to do the French double-kiss is a first step to really getting to know Montreal. We want to help you feel a little less awkward. Here’s what you need to know:
Read MoreThe History of Farine Five Roses: How Montreal Got its Famous Blinking Red Sign
If you’ve ever entered Montreal from the South-West or just looked in that general direction, chances are you’ve seen it before: the Farine Five Roses sign.
Read MoreThe Bizarre History of Foufounes Electriques: Paint Parties, Pies and Punk Rock
While our city is known for its cultural diversity, there are few venues in Montreal where you’ll find punks, goths, students and everything in between mixing quite as easily as they do at Foufounes Electriques.
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