This Saturday (February 10th) will mark the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Dragon, and the beginning of more than two weeks of festivities, customs and plenty of feasts. 2024 is forecasted to be a year of power, nobility, honor, luck, and success, bringing about opportunities, changes, and challenges.

Not sure if you know, but each time it's one of the zodiacs' turns in their 12-year cycle, their elements change too, going through wood, fire, earth, metal and water. This year is the wood dragon, a return to the natural state of being in the Daoist tradition, which—in the dragon’s case—points to a return to kindness. 

Now, whether or not you're one for horoscopes, zodiacs, and feeling as though your life is in some way influenced by the clockwork of the universe, it's nice to take this away from all of this information we just dumptrucked on you:

Reaching our potential, achieving prosperity, and resolving major conflicts can all be possible if we focus on empathy. Suspend your ego, be reflective, be introspective—behave in accordance with generosity and selflessness.

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

Thursday

• Running from February 8 to 10, the independent music festival Taverne Tour is bringing more than 80 bands to 25 venues across the Plateau.
• It's the final weekend of Igloofest's outdoor electronic dance parties, ending on February 10th, but not before The Blaze, Oden & Fatso, and Leef play it out.
• Bach's masterpiece, the "Goldberg Variations", will be performed by a string trio at the historic Chapelle-Notre-Dame-du-Bonsecours.

Friday

• Grumpy's is going to be hosting Jono Townsend on Friday, as well as the slappin' good time of John y Slapper the following night if you can't catch that.
• Bar Le Ritz PDB is hosting the 4th volume of an alternative & indie sleaze dance party, taking you back to 2008 for a decadent explosion of rock, indie, glam, punk and synthpop.

Saturday

• Local artist Eve Parker Finley will be playing new ethereal pieces from her second album, In The End, on February 10 at the PHI Center.
• The Orchestre de Jeux Vidéo is playing music from some of the most iconic music of Nintendo's first gaming consoles at Salle Marguerite-Bourgeoys.
• Speaking of video games, excuse our nostalgia, but we're kind of into the idea of a Super Smash Bros. N64 tournament over at Arcade MTL.

(Superbowl LVIII!) Sunday

• Montreal's Chinatown will most a Lunar New Year Dragon & Lion Dance Parade at 11:30am at Sun-Yat-sen Park (corner of De la Gauchetière & Clark).
• Bar Social in Verdun is hosting a Super Bowl LVIII watch party with beer, cocktails and $1 chicken wings.
• New City Gas is hosting the big game on its 50-foot 6K LED screen with multiple 65-inch 4K TVs positioned around the room for maximum coverage.
• Double's Late Night's hosting a Super Bowl buffet for $75 that includes food and service (drinks'll cost extra). "Satisfaction guaranteed."
• McKiernan's doing parkerhouse prime rib sliders and a bunch of other delicious wonders as part of their Superbowl Sunday Rôtisserie Party Packs.
• Taverne Atlantic is going to be hosting a Super Bowl party of their own.
• Annette bar à vin is, somewhat unexpectedly, ALSO hosting a Super Bowl party, so get on that if you want to enjoy slick vintages with expertly crafted eats.

WHAT TO EAT & DRINK IN AND AROUND MONTREAL

Scope the latest restaurant openings, recommendations on where to eat, plus new menus, old classics, and everything in between.

More planning ahead for Valentine's Day

• Les Street Monkeys will be open from February 14 to 17 for Valentine's Day with a sharing menu at $60 per person—peep the menu here.
• Speaking of Les Street Monkeys: Their soup'n'sandwich slinging spot Ketiw is doing Valen-thai Day menus on February 13 for $85 a head.
• Off the beaten track in Laval, we know, but Oregon Bar à Vin is hosting their own Valentine's Day celebration with supremely cheesy (but lovable!) undertones.
• Go celebrate Valentine’s Day with Bistro La Franquette with a 5-course menu for $85
• Feast on specialties inspired by the SWANA region at HENI, featuring a 5-course tasting menu, including dessert for $80.
• For Valentine's Day, the caviar bump specialists over at Kabinet have concocted a 4-course menu for $69 for one evening only.

And more (potentially) romantic options

• Cuisine Libre! and chef and partner of Dobe & Andy, Webster Galman, are hosting a 9ish-course menu this Saturday and Sunday.
• On February 12 at Saint-Henri's new spot SAVSAV, Ceci n'est pas un salon will be presenting wins from the four corners of Quebec.
• Dive into handmade Filipino-infused pasta on February 11 with Buboy—spots are all gone at the moment, but you might be able to sneak in the night of.
• There's talk on the streets that you shouldn't be sleeping on Chez Jean Paul, an artful ode to French cuisine in a new restaurant near-ish to Jean-Talon Station.
• The space below Place Ville Marie's swanky skyscraper restaurant Hiatus has been formally titled Sora 45, a sushi-forward spot.
• Bonheur d'Occasion is celebrating the Lunar New Year on February 10 and 11 with a special menu for 2 at $120.

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

The faces and places of Montreal's Little Maghreb

In 2008, the stretch of Jean-Talon between Saint-Michel and Pie-IX was officially recognized as Petit Maghreb, or Little Maghreb, the Arab term for west, encompassing Arab and Berber communities across northwestern Africa. These are just some of the people who make it what it is today. (The Main)

Little Maghreb: The faces and places of Montreal’s diasporic North African neighbourhood

Located at the end of the Blue Line, Montreal’s Little Maghreb of of Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension is rich with diasporic Arab and Berber communities.

Rachel Cheng

'Cause if you liked it, then you should have put a roof on it

“Let’s talk about why the government’s creating artificial urgency to spend $870-million on a roof for a stadium that functioned without one for 10 years," writes Taylor C. Noakes. Yes, let's. (Cult MTL)

The Olympic Stadium: Appetite for destruction

The François Legault administration announced that they will spend at least $870-million to repair the stadium’s roof

Cult MTLTaylor C. Noakes

Our very own Billy Bishop

Montreal's Saint-Hubert Airport has adopted the name of the MET, or the "Montréal Metropolitan Airport”, which includes a terminal being built by Porter Airlines—a project for summer 2025 worth more than 200 million. (La Presse)

Bit of a kick in the teeth, innit

Montreal’s director of economic development has quit after 16 months in the post while the city grapples with a housing crisis “in order to take on new challenges”. Some are saying the departure, however, is disquieting. (Montreal Gazette)

Montreal’s economic development manager quits after 16 months

Philippe Krivicky, who started the job of assistant city manager for economic development in October 2022, tendered his resignation “in order to take on new challenges.”

Montreal GazetteLinda Gyulai

Hitting the street to keep your deets

The discontent towards Bill 31 was felt this past weekend when hundreds demonstrators denounced the proposed legislation that would put an end to lease transfers, at least in their current form. Many see the practice as a main tool to limit rent increases. (Radio-Canada)

Logement : manifestation à Montréal contre le projet de loi 31

Des centaines de manifestants réunis dans le quartier Petite-Patrie demandent notamment la démission de la ministre de l’Habitation, France-Élaine Duranceau.

Radio-Canada

Where to find everything and nothing

We love a good piece highlighting the Saint-Michel Flea Market, which brings together around a hundred kiosks spread over two floors. The JdM thought it worth time highlighting the decorations you can find there. (Journal de Montréal)

We are more than a collection of objects

"We must look at cities as a whole and not just by its elements. It is not a collection of objects or postage stamps," Phyllis Lambert told the CBC. Here, the Héritage Montréal founder's life and impact on the city is revisited. (Radio-Canada)

Archives | L’héritage de Phyllis Lambert, architecte

Née à Montréal en 1927 dans la famille Bronfman, Phyllis Lambert est une architecte qui a adopté une vision de ce à quoi devrait ressembler une ville.

Radio-Canada

Perseverance towards belonging

Tracing Mariana Martin's path from New York's International Culinary Center to Mexico City before coming to Montreal, this is the story of how the local gem Carlota Boulangerie Mexicaine was created from scratch. (Noovo)

Une boulangerie mexicaine de Montréal prospère grâce au soutien de la communauté

Mariana Martin affirme que le meilleur ingrédient en matière de pâtisserie est l’amour.

Noovo InfoPhoto : Lauren Fernandez | CTV News

"The city’s newest architectural landmark"

The Port of Montréal Tower is part of a larger urban renewal project which has transformed the city’s formerly industrial Grand Quai into a vibrant new public space that's been winning hearts, minds, and awards. (Azure Magazine)

A New Architectural Icon — and Public Space — on the Montreal Waterfront

The Port of Montréal Tower by local firm Provencher_Roy brings a defining presence to a recently renovated public pier.

Azure MagazineSydney Shilling

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

If ever you catch something we should know, don't hesitate to reach out to us on Instagram.