Calling All Canadians! (..or Canadian wannabes)

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

Last November we went to Quebec City (1st time) and had a wonderful time. Will be celebrating our 20th Anniversary later this year and thought about Toronto or Montreal, neither of which we've visited.

[papsrus]

Both pretty good music towns, I think. When are you planning to go? Montreal jazz fest in late June. I'm guessing Montreal is a little more romantic, if that's what you're aiming for. ... I was there in 1967. Don't remember much, as I was 10. ... I'll withhold my vote until some Canadians weigh in.

[GregK]

Montreal without a doubt. More interesting place to visit, plus Ottawa is close, which is also worth a day or two (or more, if you can do it).

[sidewinder]

I hear the ice fishing at Thunder Bay is good at the moment

[Van Basten II]

Depends on what you prefer to do, Toronto in cultural activities to my huge chagrin is now more big time than Montreal is. For the rest Montreal has a chaotic quality while Toronto is in a way a little straight. If money is an issue, Montreal is cheaper.

Edited March 24, 2008 by Van Basten II

[Nate Dorward]

Both pretty good music towns, I think.

You gotta be kidding. The Toronto jazz scene is at an all-time low, with all the major clubs except the Rex having died in the past four years & the festival a weak shadow of its former self.

Lots of reasons to visit Toronto but the jazz scene isn't one of them! (though if it's other music you're interested in it's fine)

[sidewinder]

Damn - that is sad . The live jazz scene in Toronto used to be excellent and all-year-round too, not just at the time of the Du Maurier festival. Healthy lineup of 'domestic' music and good stream of top-flight US visitors (although my recollections are nearly 20 years ago now). Glad to hear that the Rex Hotel is still operational though.

[analogak]

montreal has club super sexe and la ronde.

[sidewinder]

montreal has club super sexe

That clinches it !

[analogak]

if you stop foot across the border, patricia will think the invasion has begun!

[Quincy]

I'm guessing Montreal is a little more romantic, if that's what you're aiming for. ... I was there in 1967. Don't remember much, as I was 10. ...

Oooo, there for the Expo eh? I was 5 on a family trip, however my parents' idea of fun was to visit Expo '67 in '68. Still very cool, and I remember the geodesic dome & many of the pavilions looking like it was someplace from the future. Note to Weizen - I think most of it was disassembled and moved elsewhere or torn down.

A tour of Expo '67

Edited March 24, 2008 by Quincy

[B. Clugston]

All depends where you are departing from. If you're American, Montreal will have a more appealing alien wallop, if that's what you are looking for. One of my favourite cities.

[GA Russell]

Quebec City is one of my favorite places to visit! I think that you'll be disappointed wherever you go compared to it.

I voted for Toronto, though it has been ten years since I have been to Canada. I'm not a fan of Montreal, except a small area around St. Denis (?) St. Montreal does have some great French restaurants, though!

[Van Basten II]

I'm guessing Montreal is a little more romantic, if that's what you're aiming for. ... I was there in 1967. Don't remember much, as I was 10. ...

Oooo, there for the Expo eh? I was 5 on a family trip, however my parents' idea of fun was to visit Expo '67 in '68. Still very cool, and I remember the geodesic dome & many of the pavilions looking like it was someplace from the future. Note to Weizen - I think most of it was disassembled and moved elsewhere or torn down.

A tour of Expo '67

Only the carcasse of the biosphere remains, besides one of the Pavillons, think it was the French is now a casino

[GA Russell]

This might help:

http://www.jazzintoronto.com/

[sidewinder]

Only the carcasse of the biosphere remains, besides one of the Pavillons, think it was the French is now a casino

I crashed out in a car once by the carcass of the biosphere. Good, cheap accomodation.

Woken up by party animals with ghetto blasters though..

Edited March 24, 2008 by sidewinder

[Tim McG]

Hm.

Montreal or Toronto....depends.

Do you want to succeed or stay with the Union?

[catesta]

Move this to the politics forum and you might get some input from Patricia.

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

if you stop foot across the border, patricia will think the invasion has begun!

Move this to the politics forum and you might get some input from Patricia.

Patricia (pictured in black Auxilliary Civil Defense gear below) spied the thread.....let of out quick ..........and just over 100 minutes later had already rented two of those industrial 40 Lb sandbag-filling machines and managed to fill enough bags to surround her apartment complex. Funny, IIRC, that's almost the same thing that Chris Albertson did after seeing my 'Soon heading to Birdland, Smoke & Jazz Standard.....looking for places to stay in vicinity 104th Street Upper West Side' thread last summer. I decided to drop by his condo two days early w/coffee, doughnuts and a nice framed pic of me with McCain in '88 --- and there he was!!! ...standing outside in 25 degree weather working 4 of those machines at breakneck speed!!

[Robert J]

Rolf: I would certainly pick Montreal. Especially since you’ve already had a taste of Quebec culture.

Even though I write this in Toronto, I have never truly loved this city. True, it has its pretty moments and its multiculturalism and the other tourist stuff, etc. But people in Montreal just seem to get more out of life; people here (IMHO) are uptight and stressed way too often. Or maybe I am jaded, as I see too many boring conservative people in the downtown Toronto core. It may remind you of DC.

On the beer front, Montreal gets more European beers than alcohol-conservative Ontario does. You can buy at the corner store and you don’t have to look at your watch. In Ontario, you can only go to the LCBO or the “Beer Store” – stupid monopolies who don’t trust the average citizen and which are open at very limited hours. There are some good beer bars in Toronto though – but don’t come just for that!

Unibroue rules!

GA Russell - that site used to link to many more venues. Sad that there's now just one.

[Tim McG]

Move this to the politics forum and you might get some input from Patricia.

[medjuck]

I was the first person to vote so for a while it was 100% for Montreal (only 1 vote). I love Toronto but I've always presumed that Montreal was better for tourists. Toronto has better Chinese food but Montreal has Schwartz's for smoked meat.

[Nate Dorward]

The Chinese food here is fine (preferably in the Richmond Hill area not Spadina), but I'd actually recommend the Korean restaurants if you're looking for great Asian food in Toronto.

Yes, the only venue listed on that Jazz in Toronto site is the Rex. Things are bad here but they aren't THAT bad...! There's stuff at the Trane, Tranzac, &c.

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

Montreal has Schwartz's for smoked meat.

Rolf: I would certainly pick Montreal. Especially since you’ve already had a taste of Quebec culture.

Unibroue rules!

Geez, now if i can get this

with that

.....I'll be all set!

Or maybe I am jaded, as I see too many boring conservative people in the downtown Toronto core. It may remind you of DC

Good point......would rather avoid that.

It would be nice to hit some Montreal jazz venues as well....I'm fortunate in that my wife enjoys going to see live jazz.

BTW, Robert -- since I forgot to follow up earlier w/you, how was the Amsterdam trip last year? You get to the Kracked Kettle and that smoky hole-in-the-wall brew joint ('Golem') just across the alley?

[Van Basten II]

Montreal has Schwartz's for smoked meat.

Rolf: I would certainly pick Montreal. Especially since you’ve already had a taste of Quebec culture.

Unibroue rules!

Geez, now if i can get this

with that

.....I'll be all set!

Or maybe I am jaded, as I see too many boring conservative people in the downtown Toronto core. It may remind you of DC

Good point......would rather avoid that.

It would be nice to hit some Montreal jazz venues as well....I'm fortunate in that my wife enjoys going to see live jazz.

BTW, Robert -- since I forgot to follow up earlier w/you, how was the Amsterdam trip last year? You get to the Kracked Kettle and that smoky hole-in-the-wall brew joint ('Golem') just across the alley?

Have not checked out, how you stand on free and more adventurous jazz, but if it's your cup of tea you might check out the festival Suoni per il popolo in june, over the years i tend to prefer this festival over the bigger one.

PM me if you want more detail

Edited March 24, 2008 by Van Basten II