Leonard Cohen and more

This morning we headed out fairly early and walked to the Museum of Contemporary Art to see the Leonard Cohen Exhibition "A Crack In Everything". It was a very interactive and moving exhibition. I particularly enjoyed the "I’m Your Man" exhibit - a video installation which brings together a community of ardent Leonard Cohen fans to pay posthumous tribute to the late legend. Each of the eighteen individuals featured was offered the opportunity to perform and record his own version of Cohen’s comeback album, "I’m Your Man", in a professional recording studio in Montreal. The video installation also included the Shaar Hashomayim Synagogue Choir doing the album’s backing vocals. This was an all-male choir representing the Westmount congregation that Cohen belonged to all his life.

As we left the exhibition we watched a bit of the Santa Claus Parade, before walking down to Old Montreal where we explored the cobbled streets and had a late lunch at a French Restaurant called Marche de la Villette. Here Angus and I had a croque monsieur, and Ian had a croque madame. We then walked across town to find the Leonard Cohen portrait that is on the side of a building. It took us a while to find it, but it was worth it. We also found a great little coffee place - Pigeon - best coffee so far in Montreal, even thought the sign out the front said it was the worst. (The barista said that this was to cover themselves, and was very chuffed when we said that the coffee was up to Melbourne standards.)

Then, as we were heading back to our hotel along a very upmarket street, I noticed a store that had some lovely costume jewellery on display. It was called MUTT & JEFF. I went in to find out how much they cost, and met the designer/store owner, and so I ended sending Ian & Angus back to the hotel while I stayed to get dressed by Tom in a range of his clothes. It was a great experience, and I purchased a number of pieces. His clothes are beautiful, comfortable and so flattering. I walked out of the store feeling fabulous. On the way back to the hotel I ran into the Toronto Leafs, an ice-hockey team in town to play the Montreal Habs. I only realised who they were because of the fans waiting outside their hotel to cheer them on.

We are going to stay in tonight as it is cold with rain and snow predicted around 9pm.Read more