This week, Her Campus McGill’s Campus Celebrity is a part of our downtown “campus”: the artsy Sherbrooke Street West. Montréal’s Quartier du Musée in the Golden Square Mile is famous not only for its museums, but also for its gastronomic confections and its home décor boutiques. Here are the places to visit in this charming stretch of the city.
If you would like to start your day early, Pâtisserie Olivier Potier opens at 7:30am. When you walk inside you are greeted by a wall of freshly baked breads to your right and dozens of miniature desserts to your left. On his website, Potier details his impressive culinary background: “Olivier a parcouru le monde et a fait ses classes dans des maisons de renom telles que Ladurée Paris, Le Saint James, Le Saint Paul, le Sofitel à Montréal…” The pastries, especially, point to his experience; ranging from classic madeleines to more sophisticated treats, each one is a tiny oeuvre d’art.
Later in the afternoon, stop by Nocochi for tea. With bite-size cookies – many made from chickpea flour: a must try! – and an impressive menu of loose-leaf teas (White Castle is my favourite), this café is a perfect spot to warm up. Nocochi also offers a beautiful range of colourful artwork as well as a free internet connection, for those of you who would prefer to use the space as a new place to study.
Another option for tea, especially if you are spending the day with your best girls, is Le Maître Chocolatier. Reserve a table for their high tea service in the upstairs salon and escape the wintry streets.
During the day, make sure to visit Trianon. This Versailles-inspired store contains eighteenth century French antiques, excellent reproductions, and other (more affordable) accessories for your home. Keep an eye out for owner Luce Gayrard’s candles; their romantic scents are a wonderful way to change the ambience in your apartment or your dorm room.
If you would like to see (or buy) some unique items of jewelry, I recommend going into Petit Musée. Ask to see the ring collection, which includes ancient coins that have been transformed into stunning – and interesting – statement pieces. At four-stories high, the family-owned gallery also boasts antiques from all over the world.
For more ideas — and more details on some of these ideas — check out: http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/fashion-design/discovering-artsy-sherbrooke-street-west/