The Eve Before Christmas Eve

Until I go drawing at the Eaton Centre, it just doesn't feel like Christmas! So I chose to do it on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

I parked myself on a bench in front of Aldo where a woman was giving the discount shoe pile a once-over.

Shoppers lined up for gift wrapping services under a giant sparkly reindeer.

A fellow in a trench coat paused by a glittering window display.

Garbage man empties the trash in front of the Swarovski booth.

I was getting a little hungry so I crossed the street to Bannock for a cup of venison chilli.

I also got a gingerbread man because it's not a proper meal without dessert. (Fact.)

A well-heeled woman eyes the sandwiches.

Man enjoys a moment of peace with a cappuccino.

The woman across from me was glued to her Blackberry. Wait... Blackberry? They still make those?

Back at the Eaton Centre, the Salvation Army camps out next to a wall of shoes.

"Where's the Apple Store?"

This girl was such a Bella. So Emo.

Always with the plumber's butt. Oh, teenagers!

Happiness!

This couple was the cutest! Eating from their tiny cups of Yogen Früz.

Big sister keeps an eye on her bro.

Happy kids and grumpy adults. Sooo grumpy!

Another Bella? Cheer up! Didn't anyone tell you it's the Holidays?

Eaton Centre

220 Yonge Street

Toronto

Bannock

401 Bay Street (at Queen)

Toronto

Montréal Field Trip: Part Two

On my third day in Montréal I treated myself to brunch at Lawrence Restaurant, a sunlit neighbourhood spot just blocks from where I was staying. When I arrived around noon the place was completely rammed with a queue building at the door. In moments like these it pays off to dine solo.

I sat at the bar and promptly ordered a cup of english breakfast to go with my plate of smoked salmon with scrambled eggs on toast. Everything was served on pretty vintage plates.

The girl working the espresso station was a latte-making machine.

Out of the blue my neighbour initiated conversation. "So!" he said, "Wanna hear something really weird?" Um, I don't know. Do I? Then he launched into a nervous run-on sentence about an article he was currently reading in the Globe and Mail. I love talking to strangers so I tried to keep up the conversation but it quickly fizzled into an awkward silence. He looked to be my age and, from what I could tell, he was some sort of banker. Probably from Toronto. I couldn't help but compare him to this guy.

Drawing in public is a funny thing. It is often a gateway to conversation because it forces complete strangers to acknowledge each other. There's always that awkward moment when your subject notices they are being drawn, and their reaction to that moment can reveal a lot about their personality.

Take this server for example. Our exchange went something like this:

"Did you sketch me yet?"

"Ha, I dunno... can't remember!"

"Well if you haven't, now you know what to do!"

He was working another section so I didn't see much of him to get in a good sketch. But 10 minutes later...

"How do I look?!"

Finally I had my shot when he came by to punch in a bill at the cash. Later, when my own bill arrived, I noticed that my scone and tea had been comped by the house. Amazing! (That scone was frigging delicious, by the way!)

On another day I found myself at the Atwater Market, a sprawling food emporium in Montréal's south end. Vendors lined the entrance with stacks of fresh pine trees and holly branches for sale.

I took a seat at a bench and drew the shoppers. It was a nice day out.

It was hard to resist a purchase from this table of cranberries and maple syrup.

A lady picks a handsome-looking branch to adorn her front hallway.

Inside the Market customers line up at a bakery to score the last pickings of the day.

That night I decided to continue exploring the area without a map, but I made a wrong turn. After a misguided detour through the bad part of town I was seriously craving some comfort food. I bolted to Patati-Patata, a neighbourhood diner with a warm vibe, killer french fries and adorable mini hamburgers! I ordered a combo and gleefully washed away visions of sketchy massage parlours and dingy back alleyways with a homemade iced tea.

This is the sort of place that can cheer you right up when you're feeling down. Even this girl was unable to hold back a smile once her cheeseburger arrived.

It's also a popular hangout for students. I ordered a burger with all the toppings (including cheese and bacon), a basket of fries and two iced teas and the bill STILL came in under ten dollars. The quality is really amazing and the price is right!

There were a lot of solo diners. This lady stared absentmindedly out the window while she picked through the remains of her hamburger with a fork.

On my last full day in Montréal I met up with a friend to do some cafe sketching. After a bit of walking through the rain we ended up at Cafe Olympico, a neighbourhood institution since the early 70's.

The crowd was decidedly older and quirkier than at  Café Névé with lots of real characters to draw. Here, I only spotted three laptops!

It was kind of like someone set the "wayback machine" to the early nineties. There were so many newspapers and "Pieces of You" was blasting through the speakers.

Then my friend encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and try out a brush pen. I haven't used one of those in years! It shows, don't you think?

On my way to catch the VIA train home I took the subway where I produced The Obligatory Métro Sketch. This post simply wouldn't have been complete without it. Till next time, Montréal!

Lawrence Restaurant

5201 Blvd. St. Laurent

Montréal, Québec

Atwater Market

138 Atwater, Corner of Notre-Dame

Montréal, Québec

Patati-Patata

4177 Blvd. St. Laurent

Montréal, Québec

Cafe Olympico

124 St. Viateur West

Montréal, Québec

Montréal Field Trip: Part One

Last week I took a self-guided sketchbook field trip to Montréal for a little change of scenery. I was staying with a friend of mine in the bustling Mile End neighbourhood. Dense with eclectic shops and winding streets, I was living the urbanist dream!

Coffee shops are always my first stop while traveling because they present a wonderful window into the neighbourhood culture. I visited Café Névé, a cozy spot just off Saint-Laurent, and grabbed a cup of tea.

Nearly every man had a beard! Was it a post-Movember thing or simply a Québec-in-the-wintertime thing? 

I was one of the few customers without a laptop. Macbooks were well represented here.

This woman fiddled with her iPad while sipping a homemade chai. 

At the front of the shop they've got a coffee table with an iron deer on top. I found it pretty cute.

Really wasn't joking about the laptops. 

   

   

When lunch came around I ordered a lentil soup with a homemade scone which was to die for. Then I rounded out the meal with a gorgeous chocolate chip cookie.

My poor neighbour received some unwanted attention from the other side of the table.

Exams... remember those?

For dinner I made my way down the street to Réservoir, a lively gastropub with a meat-centric menu on Duluth. Luckily I was able to snag the perfect seat with a great view of the dining room action.

The bar offered a world of possibilities for two passing strangers. I wonder what happened next?

Within minutes every seat was occupied and a lineup snaked out the door.

A stylish woman sampled a bottle of wine with her husband before dinner. She noticed me drawing and they both came up to say hello. Very nice people! 

The tables were turning quickly so whenever I finished a drawing there was always someone just as interesting as the last to take their place.

For supper I enjoyed a smooth bowl of mushroom soup sprinkled with salty bits of blood pudding and an order of crispy grilled cheese with homemade pickles.

There was still so much to draw but I was too full to order another plate and secure my seat for another twenty minutes.

"Is it alright if I stay here a little longer?" I asked my server, pointing at my sketchbook.

He smiled wistfully, "Hm... there's a lineup out the door. Stay as long as your conscience allows!"

No worries, I'll just have to come back to Montréal another time!

Café Névé

151 Rue Rachel E.

Montréal, Québec

Réservoir

9 Rue Duluth E.

Montréal, Québec