Let's go to the Mall! Malls reopen in Montreal on Friday. Coupled with the high humidity we're going to see for the next few days, you might want to nip in for a cool refresher. But make sure to plan your route in advance: there are several worksites going up this weekend.
Sunday is National Indigenous Peoples Day. Ahead of that, take in a concert featuring Montreal-based throat singer Sylvia Cloutier (originally from Kuujjuaq) with Dene singer-songwriter Leela Gilday. The National Arts Centre is streaming their 2018 concert of the duo and members of the NAC Orchestra, Friday at noon.
For some, lockdown means more quality time with their cats. So, a Pittsburgh cinema decided to ask feline owners to submit their home movies to the Quarantine Cat Film Festival. A 70-minute roundup of the most purrfect submissions streams all day Friday, at the cost of only $12, with half of ticket sales going to support independent cinemas in Canada and the U.S.
The Old Port is gradually reopening. As of Saturday, you can head to the Voile en voiles theme park or rent a pedal boat or quadricycle. The food trucks are also going to start returning each day.
Restaurants reopen in Montreal on Monday, and if you need a mouthwatering teaser... considering watching Somebody Feed Phil, the Netflix travel documentary featuring the guy behind Everybody loves Raymond. (If you get hungry, here is a list of restaurants doing takeout, from the folks who organized Phil's tour, Tourisme Montreal.)
If you happen to be in the Plateau, check out an especially meaningful outdoor art pop-up at The Museum of Jewish Montreal (which is sadly about to leave its home). In partnership with Artists 4 Long-Term Care, the Museum has turned its windows over to stories from residents and workers in long-term care homes in English and French. Local and international artists have created colourful pieces to accompany their testimonies. Up now at 4040 St Laurent (corner Duluth) until June 30.
Saturday is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Many flock to Stonehenge in England to take part in druid traditions on this day, but the site is closed to visitors. Since you can't travel anyway, stream the sunrise and sunset at English Heritage’s Facebook page. See the sunset on Saturday (4:26pm EST, 9.26pm BST) and the sunrise after, on Sunday at 4:52am BST (which is before midnight, 11:52 pm EST). Each stream is about 30 minutes, and will be available to watch after.
Since the solstice is also the International Day of Yoga, why not take in a virtual yoga class offered by a local studio or gym? Mega popular Texan YouTuber Yoga with Adriene will host a live session at noon.
Sweden marks many activities at midsummer, and VisitSweden is streaming virtual events, including a wreath making workshop and traditional midsummer pole dancing all day Friday.
The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts has reopened, allowing patrons to get a glimpse at Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives. Six mummies have their lives set out in great detail, including a middle-aged chantress named Tamut. There are a great deal of safety measures, and you do have to buy your timed ticket (or reserve your spot if you are a member) in advance. Masks are recommended. No other shows or galleries will be open, but considering this exhibit has been very popular, you'll get your money's worth. Until June 28.
The good folks behind the cancelled Fringe Festival continue to offer up art gems online to share with fans, including daily messages and discussions. There is also In the Stars, an interactive theatre piece inspired by video games. Audiences members become private detectives who are trying to figure where all the stars in the sky have gone... you get instructions, and all you need is a browser. Play anytime between now and June 22 at 11pm. Local performer Kate Hammer brings her Infemous lineup of storytelling to Fringe, with a virtual YouTube Show, Saturday, 7pm. Married Montreal comics Eman and Jess Salomon are on the roster. Full This is Not a Fringe schedule here.
Spike Lee’s latest opus is being called his most ambitious film yet, and the most important film of 2020. In Da 5 Bloods, four African American army veterans return to Vietnam, both to find the remains of their former leader as well as a small fortune in gold. Find it on Netflix.
SNL's Pete Davidson starts in a sorta-autobiographical tale about a stunted young man whose widowed mom starts to date another man. Judd Apatow's King of Staten Island is now available on demand.
Good grooves for a good cause: Hi-Gloss Virtual Festival features DJs mixing from Montreal to London, Paris, Los Angeles and beyond. MOntreal DJ include Vito V, Pat Boogie, Lost Heroes, and Robert Ouimet, the Godfather of Montreal Disco. Even the DJ who did George Clooney's wedding will be spinning! Donations go to the NAACP. Catch the music on YouTube, Facebook, Twitch or Mixcloud by searching for Kookoo Records. Friday and Saturday, 2 to 9pm.
A bastion of New Orleans' blues scene since 1961, the iconic Preservation Hall presents 'Round Midnight Preserves, a slew of collaborations and unseen cuts from Dave Grohl, Elvis Costello, Nathaniel Rateliffe, Jon Batiste and more. Free, but they are taking donations for their foundation, which runs educational programs and supports local musicians. Saturday, 9pm.
And if you're barbecuing with dad this Father's Day, try Chef Ricardo's grilled butterflied chicken, partnered with this simple dry rub mix.
Join me for trivia! I'll be assisting my friend Brian as faithful co-host during a Pub Quiz at Home session, on Zoom, Friday at 9pm. Zoom info here.
Catch up on some great Canadian movies like Bon Cop, Bad Cop or The Trotsky, with a 20-movie list here. Or delve into the American Film Institute’s list of 100 Greatest American Films Of All Time. The full list, which you can print or save, includes classics like Singin' In The Rain, Jaws, Vertigo, Wizard of Oz, Schnidler’s List, Gone with the Wind, M*A*S*H, and older films like Duck Soup, City Lights and All About Eve.