We’ve been to our share of beer festivals, but there has never been one as classy as the Mondial de la Bière in Montreal. Although it sounds fancy because you must use your limited French language skills to pronounce it, the Montreal Beer Festival is the largest party dedicated to hops and barley in all of Canada. Of course there will be plenty of Molson and Moosehead, but there will also be other more exotic options as well.

This year’s festival is set to run from June 2 through June 6 at the historic Windsor Station. Admission is free, and tasting coupons are only $1 each. The coupons should get you a three-to-four-ounce sample, so you’ll need to watch it if you actually want to critique a few different brews before getting sloshed. The only catch is that some samples might cost more than just one coupon. We expect that to be the case for the Sam Adams Utopias from 2009 with its distinct flavor and even more distinct alcohol content—its 27% per volume. ]]> kjb 2010-05-20T16:55:40-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2010/2/1/233659/5928

Trying to flee the freezing temperatures sweeping across the country is natural, but predictable. Instead, do what folks in these frigid destinations do—embrace it and get INTO the cold. The trick to staying toasty is chill-killing gear and lots of bone warming activity. So stop moping around waiting for summer to arrive and head to these five crazy cold places and get your winter wonderland on.

Montebello, Canada

Cold Meter: Extreme:
It’s damned cold in the Outaouais region of western Quebec province, no matter what the locals say. But, don’t panic when hearing reports of -20 degree temperatures. French Canadians speak in Celsius, so that would be only a chillez -4 F to Americans. But peeps around these parts don’t fret about such things. They see it as another chance to hang around a warm fire or tiny cafe after a day outside. Copious amounts of wine makes all things bearable here, too.

While some celebs were getting poured on in L.A., Jimmy Fallon proved all the cool kids were actually in Canada. The Late Night host spent the weekend in Montreal for a friend's bachelor party where, he announced on his show Friday, they planned to do some snowmobiling and ice fishing. But, apparently, they decided to do some eating and bar hopping instead.

On Sunday, he tweeted, "Love to Montreal. Had a blast this weekend. Joe Beef, Chez Serge and Stereo. Great places." So, where are these great places? Joe Beef, located at the corner of De la Commune Street and De la Callière Street, in Old Montreal, has only 28 seats and a limited menu to ensure each customer has great service and each meal is as fresh as it can be. Every night there is a choice of four appetizers and four main courses written on a blackboard in the restaurant. Main dishes include tripe-a beef, fresh fish or traditional Montreal cuisine ranging from $18 to $40.They also have a “raw bar” where you get to choose from three or four different kinds of oysters, clams, crabs or lobsters ($8 to $18). ]]> cmb 2010-01-19T14:05:03-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/5/7/161111/2643

Lindsay Lohan may have taken one of Jaunted's ideas for a vacation to heal her soul but she's obviously not dedicated to making it work.

Just last week, she headed up to Montreal to host a gig at a nightclub. Remember Lilo, it works if you work it.

However, her trip through customs in Canada didn't go quite as planned. While we usually get admonished for having our cell phones out or for not having our passports ready quick enough, Lindsay Lohan was actually "hauled into a backroom by border staff" at the Montreal Airport. ]]> juliana 2009-05-08T08:46:51-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/4/10/11338/0483

Can't swing a trip to Paris for the Spring? Jaunted Embed Shira Lazar gives us a tour of her home town of Montreal, a much cheaper but just as authentic French experience.

Yesterday we told you about one of the two treats you must have when visiting Montreal. That was poutine. Today, we are going to teach you about goodness of Montreal bagels.

Montreal bagels are made completely different than any other bagel in the world. They are hand-rolled, thinner, boiled, dipped in honey water and put in a fire oven the old-fashioned way.

They are also addictive! We paid a visit to Mount Royal Bagel Factory on Lucerne to get a sneak (bagel) peek of how their amazing bagels are made. Actually, anyone can see how they are made, as it is done pretty much right in front of you behind the counter.

We might have a bias since we grew up in Montreal, but we've lived in other big cities and we can say these bagels really are the best in the world.

Insider Tip: Another great classic bagel brand to try is St. Viateur which has three shops in Montreal.

Related Stories:
· Jaunted's Springtime in Montreal [Jaunted]]]> shiralazar 2009-04-10T13:50:55-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/4/9/132841/5031 Can't swing a trip to Paris for the Spring? Jaunted Embed Shira Lazar gives us a tour of her home town of Montreal, a much cheaper but just as authentic French experience.

Don’t come to Montreal on a diet and with a closed mind. Two signature foods you can’t leave the city without trying are Montreal Bagels and Poutine. Today, we're talking Poutine. We'll save the bagels for later.

Poutine is not exactly the healthiest choice you can make when visiting Montreal but it's an experience to say the least: French fries, melted cheese and gravy. C'est le Paradis!

The oldest and most famous joint in town is La Banquise, which has been serving up to 26 choices of poutine for nearly 40 years. Sample it during the day or indulge late-night after a long night of drinking. It's open until 3am!

Watch the video as we go back into the kitchen of La Banquise to watch them make our poutine goodness. ]]> shiralazar 2009-04-09T17:15:30-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/4/8/112515/6092 Can't swing a trip to Paris for the Spring? Jaunted Embed Shira Lazar gives us a tour of her home town of Montreal, a much cheaper but just as authentic French experience.

We grew up shopping by day and party hopping by night on St. Laurent, known for its fun boutiques and supperclubs. Globe and BuonaNotte might not have five-star chefs, but the American/Italian dinners are pretty good and as the night continues, locals start dancing on chairs and tables until 3AM.

If you’re hungry again after that, there are a ton of late-night pizza and schwarma spots along the street too. For more of the pub/bar scene, walk to the closed cobblestone street of Prince Arthur.

But if you want a foodie experience to remember, then you must continue north on St. Laurent you’ll also find one of Montreal’s most famous deli’s Schwartz’s. Open from 8am to midnight on weekdays and weekends until 2:30am, Schwartz’s is the oldest deli in Canada (it opened in 1928), a true historic landmark. Nothing has changed since the place opened and all the ingredients are fresh and free of preservatives. Plus, their smoked meat is smoked daily. Trust us, your stomach and tastebuds will be eternally grateful.

Watch as Shira's takes a bite out of their famous smoked meat sandwich and interviews a waiter who’s worked there for 7 years.