Winter has come (again) in more ways than one: Not that it's been the only to come in the past week, but right now, businesses are hurting bad. With the loans of the pandemic numbering as high as $40,000 coming due, many smaller enterprises are facing the reality of finally calling it quits. Economic hard times are afoot, perhaps more so now than ever.

There are a million and one idea for cheap things to do in the city, but if you can? Now's the time to pay a visit to not only your local spots, but also those places you always meant to go to. To support local artists. To do what you can, where you can. We've done it once before, and we can do it again.

Those looking to go out on the cheap, you'd do well to check out this week's WHERE TO EAT & DRINK section—it's full of suggestions of addresses to eat well for less.

Activities, parties, points of interest, art exhibitions, you name it: These are the weekend events you don't want to miss.

Thursday

• Luminothérapie's annual interactive art event continues to transform downtown's Place des Festivals and the Quartier des spectacles into an illuminated playground.
• The CCA's Out of the Box exhibition series in its Octagonal gallery is, this time around, dedicated to the work of Argentinian architect Amancio Williams (1913–1989), a key figure in modern architecture in South America.

Friday

• David Pryde, who's taken the stage at Just For Laughs and The Tonight Show, will be on stage at the Comedy Nest.
• Dunes (aka the Desert Blues Ensemble) will be bringing their trans-African grooves, twangy guitars and of course, blues to Quai de Brumes.
• Head a bit off-island to see Matt Holubowski play from his new album Like Flowers on a Molten Lawn at Longueuil's Théâtre de la Ville.
• The Gracefully Hip's Tragically Hip tribute concert is going on at Beanfield.

Saturday

• 35+ vendors are bringing together plenty of vintage clothing, jewelry, and other items to Le Marché Vintage at Église St-Ambroise.
• Performance artist Psyberia is back with a new MUSICBOX to kick off 2024 with a bunch of weird and wild music at Brasserie Beaubien.
• Age of Union's ongoing exhibition Looking to the Future is recognizing the value in Indigenous Knowledge systems as a path to an ecologically balanced future.

Sunday

• What’s up, Doc? An orchestral performance of classical music and classic animation is mixing Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes at Place des Arts.
• FYI, the skaters' path at Parc Jean-Drapeau is refrigerated and maintained regularly, and it offers a spectacular view of the river.

WHAT TO EAT & DRINK IN AND AROUND MONTREAL: THE INFLATION EDITION 💸

Scope the latest restaurant openings and closings due to (spoiler alert) current economic climes, recommendations on where to eat, plus new menus, old classics, and everything in between—this time, for a lower price.

• Bar Otto's doing four-course omakase menus for $60. Not bad.
• Verdun Beach is going all out with $2 oysters from Sunday to Wednesday, $30 three-service menus on Wednesdays, and 40% off SUNSHINE wine bottles on Sundays and Mondays.
• Join drag queens Uma Gahd and Selma Gahd at Robin Des Bois in Parc La Fontaine for brunch on Jan 13.
• Momesso announced its sale previously, but now, NDG's Italian sub destination is closing officially on January 27th, so get 'em while you can.
• Forget 2023 ever happened by drinking one or three cocktails for $12 a pop over at Chifa.
• Local confectionary and chocolate maker Dinette Nationale has announced that it will be closing after 15 years in the business, so go shop while you can.
• Rejoice, bottles of wine are now offered at 25% off after 10pm every night of the week at Sparrow.
• Bishop & Bagg is fighting inflation by serving specials on house beers, wine and speedrail cocktails, $7 apiece, for their 5 à 7s from Monday to Friday.

From SWANA with love

Montreal's sometimes called a "crossroads of North America and Europe", and it can be a largely Eurocentric here in both tastes and presentation. At HENI, the script isn’t being flipped per se, but expanded, a restaurant making space for relatively underexplored parts of the world in the city’s dining scene. (The Main)

Little Burgundy’s HENI is opening Montreal up to a whole underexplored wine culture

Heni’s expanding Montreal’s wine scene with bottles and food celebrating the SWANA (Southwest Asian and North African) region of the world.

J.P. Karwacki

Here, you'll find a weekly round-up of the latest local news, from entertainment to current affairs and more.

More than 3.5 million meals saved

Just a friendly that there's an app that connects consumers with less-than-perfect but still perfectly edible food: Too Good To Go helps people avoid throwing out food they're is unable to sell over the counter. You know, the uggo stuff. (CTV News)

Montrealers using app to save money and reduce food waste

With the cost of living increasing, many people are trying to prevent food from being thrown in the trash, and there is an app that connects consumers with less-than-perfect but still perfectly edible food.

Montreal

Quebec City ain't gonna like this

Montreal wants a public transportation line—maybe a tramway?—on Jean-Talon Ouest from Cavendish Boulevard to Parc Avenue, which would be about six kilometers as part of a complete redevelopment of the artery. (La Presse)

We're sowwy 😔

So tourists haven't been too happy about the lack of snow-capped rooftops in the city, but given the amount of snow we've seen within a matter of days, WHO'S LAUGHING NOW? (CBC Montreal)

‘False start for winter’ in Quebec disappoints tourists, forces cities to adapt | CBC News

An unusually mild start to winter in Quebec has discouraged tourists hoping for a winter wonderland, left litter visible on the streets of Montreal and at times diminished traffic to some of the province’s popular ski slopes.

CBCThomas MacDonald

Spin it again, Sam

A fixture in Montreal's music scene and a destination for those looking for a rare pressing or B-side, Beatnick Records is up for sale. After 25 years, owner Nick Catalano is selling the store, saying that it's time for someone younger to take over.(CTV News)

Iconic Montreal record store up for sale after 25 years

A staple on Montreal’s St. Denis Street, Beatnick Records is up for sale after 25 years.

CTV News

FYI, about 20% of restaurants in QC have closed since 2019

As the $40,000 loans from the federal government's emergency funds during the pandemic are coming due on January 18 during an economic slowdown, will restaurants have good enough traffic to survive? The ARQ expects a bunch of recent closures at the start of 2024 is just the beginning. (Le Devoir)

Petite hémorragie en restauration à Montréal

Cinq restaurants montréalais ont annoncé leur fermeture en moins de 24 heures. Est-ce le début d’une hécatombe?

Le DevoirRoxane Léouzon

Less than partially impartial

The thin blue line slogan has been around for about a century, so when it was seen worn by security guards photographed at Complexe Guy-Favreau this past summer? It's more than problematic, and definitely symptomatic. (The Rover)

Security Guards, Montreal Police, and the Thin Blue Line – The Rover

Guards at Complexe Guy-Favreau in Montreal were seen wearing a controversial symbol associated with the far-right.

The RoverTaylor C. Noakes

Next catchphrase: "When the St. Lawrence freezes over"

For a fifth consecutive winter, the ice cover is slow to form on the St. Lawrence River, and the delay is even worse than expected. Rapid changes in average temperatures have been alarming for experts, and the outlook isn't good. (CBC Montreal)

St. Lawrence River’s ice floe is late for 5th consecutive year | CBC News

Data from the Canadian Ice Service, whose records date back to 1969, show this is unusual. The current volume of ice is the third lowest ever recorded.

CBC

And that wraps yet another weekly bulletin. We’ll be back with more curiosities, local stories, and events to discover next week.

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