Susanne Pacher asked:


June 30, 2006

The Plateau area is one of the trendiest areas of Montreal, so I decided to explore it a little further after my discoveries of Old Montreal. From my hotel I hopped into the subway at Place d’Armes and took the blue train north to Sherbrooke. I enjoyed a wonderful stroll through the St-Denis neighbourhood, considered by many to be the most typical of Montreal’s neighbourhoods. Hundreds of street cafés, restaurants and funky boutiques line the street.

The streets in the area are characterized by duplexes or triplexes that have the typical Montreal exterior staircases in the front, many of which are used as comfortable places of rest and relaxation by the local residents. Many of the houses also feature small balconies on the upper floors, most of which are accompanied by small bistro tables and chairs for the outdoor enjoyment of the apartment residents.

The rooflines of in this neighbourhood are also very unusual: dormers and fake mansards add interest to the architectural mix.
The atmosphere is very relaxed, artsy and bohemian. I continued my walk west on a small street call rue Roy and came across a Mexican restaurant called “La Iguana” that also has a small outdoor sitting area. Every since my earlier trip to Mexico this year I have developed a taste for authentic Mexican food and La Iguana with its Mexican flair pulled me in.

I sat down at a comfortable table in the corner with a perfect view of the restaurant and the street outside. Unfortunately, the sky was clouding over and shortly after another tropical thunderstorm was unleashed on the city, the third one today.

To find out more about this restaurant I asked the owner, Fred Saunders, who jointly owns the restaurant with his wife Julie Chiasson, to join me for a bit. Over a mojito he started to tell me about La Iguana and how it all came about. Fred and Julie have travelled numerous times to Mexico together and fallen in love with the country and its flavours. Fred mentioned that they have visited many places on the coast, including Acapulco, Ixtapa, Playa del Carmen as well as Cozumel. Fred and Julie both enjoy scuba diving and have been enjoying underwater adventures in Mexico for the last four years.

They started dreaming of creating their own Mexican restaurant and finally three years ago, they opened “La Iguana”. Fred mentioned that it is open seven days a week for dinner and also opens Friday for lunch. Every Thursday to Saturday they feature live Cuban music that entertains the crowd with hot Latin rhythms. Fred mentioned that La Iguana also provides a catering service and a musician rental service for two to 21 musicians, a new service which they started a couple of months ago.

Fred further explained that the restaurant receives many guests from various hotels and tourism establishments. Just a week earlier, La Iguana hosted the British racing team which was in town for the Montreal Grand Prix. Fred mentioned that they referred to their experience at La Iguana as the “best Mexican food they have ever had”.

La Iguana is actually quite a small restaurant. It seats 64 people in total, including the tables on the sidewalk and the enclosed terrace which is also heated in the winter. Fred indicated that there are many nights when he has to turn away 50 to 60 people since he simply does not have the capacity to accommodate all the guests. For this reason he and Julie came up with the idea of opening another “La Iguana”. The second location will be downtown, and even beyond that Fred and Julie’s dreams extend to opening more locations, later on even in Ontario and different parts of Canada. Their dreams are to open a chain of “La Iguana” restaurants that will bring their concept of Mexican food to Canadians from coast to coast.

Big plans are in store for the new edition of La Iguana which is scheduled to open next spring in downtown Montreal. The new restaurant will be more spacious and feature a grill, allowing guests to order a whole fish hot off the grill. In addition it will also house a museum with authentic artifacts that will be provided by the Mexican Embassy. In addition, the new location will showcase live iguanas and live parrots to create an authentic Mexican atmosphere.

Talking about the history of La Iguana, Fred shared with me that right from the start the restaurant got good reviews. Their interesting dishes and plentiful portions might have something to do with it. Fred indicated that their fajitas and burritos are extremely popular. Ceviche, an authentic Mexican dish with seafood marinated in lime juice and coriander has also become a favourite. La Iguana’s Camarones Acapulco consist of a half a pound of giant shrimps in garlic butter with orange zest and flambéed with Grand Marnier. This signature dish is a crowd pleaser and looks like a sun with yellow rays.

Fred describes the cuisine at La Iguana as upscale Mexican and adds that the wine list is extensive with bottles ranging in price anywhere from $28 to $800. In addition, he and Julie have gone on research trips to Mexico and come back with 35 different types of Tequila that are all privately imported, another unique feature of La Iguana.

Well, with all this talk of tasty delicacies I was getting hungry and I wanted a chance to sample some of La Iguana’s food first-hand. I decided to order the La Iguana Special: a large platter featuring stuffed jalapeños, guacamole, potato skins, cheese quesadilla, chicken wings, nopales (cactus) and flautas (egg rolls), served with sour cream and a spicy sauce. This dish gave me a great overview of La Iguana’s cuisine and I savoured the tastes of Mexico. Then Fred surprised me with Shrimps Acapulco, one of La Iguana’s signature dishes featuring huge shrimp in a Grand Marnier sauce. My appetite was more than satiated but I just had to try La Iguana’s fried icecream for dessert which was a sinful and delicious way to cap off a very satisfying meal.

After some relaxing and listening to the live Cuban music I thanked Fred and headed out into the warm summer night. I walked down Boulevard St. Laurent, or “The Main”, Montreal’s principal north-south connection that divides the city into an eastern (mostly francophone) and western (mostly Anglophone) part. The many restaurants were filled with people and street life was animated. I walked through the pedestrian area on Prince Arthur Street, another popular restaurant area, to head south to Sherbrooke Street, one of Montreal’s main east-west thoroughfares. From there I made it to St. Catharines Street, the headquarters of Montreal’s famous Jazz Festival.

Montreal’s Jazz Festival is in its 27th year and over the course of two weeks from June 28 to July 9, 2006 more than 400 concerts will have been held, the vast majority of them free. B.B. King’s 80th Birthday Event was held on June 28. It is the largest jazz festival in the world and a true signature event for the city, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors. The festival is centered around Place des Arts and the Complexe Desjardins and with my packed schedule over these next few days tonight was my only chance to get a sneak peak at Montreal’s Jazz Festival. The crowds in front of the main stage and on St. Catharines were filling the streets as far as the eye could see and the audience were swaying to the rhythms of Afrodizz, Montreal’s best Afrobeat group, in front of a huge audience at the Scène General Motors .

What started 27 years ago as the dream of jazz aficionado Alain Simard has become the world’s biggest jazz festival that has featured stars like Ray Charles, Chick Corea, John Lee Hooker, Dave Brubeck, Muddy Waters, Dizzy Gillespie, B.B. King, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Chuck Mangione, Tony Bennett, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, George Benson, Holly Cole, Al Jareau and hundreds more. This years lineup included a tribute to Paul Simon, appearances by Dave Brubeck, Brad Mehldau, Etta James and The Neville Brothers. More than 2000 musicians will be coming to town to excite the crowds.

With African rhythms swirling through my head I strolled back slowly to my hotel, reflecting on Montreal’s superb qualifications as one of the world’s major festival cities. I needed to catch enough rest for my early morning bicycle tour of Montreal.

For the entire article including photos please visit
http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/montreal_laiguana_jazzfestival.htm

Nicholas

roxxe1979 asked:


I am looking for a great hotel in Mexico that has a golf course, a really nice golf course. Does anyone have any tips for planning a triop like this?

Ruby

Brad D asked:


I am going there very soon, but dont’ know how long a bus would take to get there. I am flying into acapulco but think i’d rather stay at puerto escondido.

Sheila

t3chn0fara3ak46 asked:


It is my first time here and I want to treat myself. Any place to recommend in Acapulco?

Jerome

Elizabeth M asked:


Two couples traveling together in these 3 cities — a cell phone for each couple sure would come in handy. We don’t want the phones for calling outside of Mexico. Also, we would pick up the cell phones in Mexico City but our departure city will be Acapulco.

Christina

Brian M asked:


I have been all over yahoo and google and cant find anything. I really just want to work on a resort or do some personal training. Or maybe even work as an on site travel rep. Please Help!?!?!?!

Herman

Alan Lim asked:



Financial

Today, work at home is an increasingly popular choice for individuals who are fighting to control every penny of expense. Financial benefits accrue to those working from the home both on the expense side and on the income side. It simply costs less to live when you eliminate commuting costs from your monthly budget. You will spend less on eating out, car insurance, tires and clothing when you are not traveling away from your home each day. Your income picture may also improve when you are able to set the prices for the work you do or the product you sell.

Health

Work at home is good for your health–both physical and mental. It’s a known fact that too much stress, particularly the bad kind of stress is not good for you. It has been related to heart disease, high blood pressure, and other physical ailments. Working at a job you don’t like or working around people that you dislike can lead to intense mental stress and in turn to physical illnesses. When you work at home, you can be as antisocial as you care to be, or you can communicate in a positive way with potential customers online and on the telephone.

Social Life

Another of the advantages when you choose to work at home is the benefit to your social life. How often have you had to turn down an event or a trip because you would be too exhausted to go to work if you attended the fun activity? When your business is at home, you can schedule your work around your social activities instead of the alternative. Imagine the fun of being able to plan a singles cruise to Acapulco in the dead of winter. Even if your idea of a social life is an afternoon watching your daughter’s track meet, you can plan to attend without a huge confrontation with your boss.

Working hours

When you work at home, not only can you schedule your social activities separate from your working days, but you can decide when during the day or the week that you want to work. You do not need to work from 8 to 5 with an hour off for lunch. You don’t have to work from Monday through Friday. Since the internet is a global marketplace, you can match your working hours with the majority of your order receipts hours. You can also make allowances for yourself if you prefer to work at night after the rest of your household is sleeping. You can also take a nap if you prefer during mid day.

Intellectual challenge

Work at home can be intellectually challenging, because you don’t have to do something just because it’s always been done that way. You are free to experiment, strike out in new directions, or stay with what has been proven to work in the past. If you are the type of person who loves a challenge, discovering problems and satisfactorily resolving them is the highest form of problem solving. You are the one in charge, to succeed or to be forced to reassess your plans and actions.

Minnie

MOnty G++ asked:


More interested in Blue water and Nature sightseeing or any other place in Mexico ?

Sally

Fantasy Football Addict asked:


Me and a few guy friends are gonna be staying at the hyatt in acapulco for spring break next week. I was just curious if anyone has stayed there recently or can tell me about their experience. How is the food, bars, pool side entertainment, service? anything will be appreciated … also is it easy to walk down the beach to other hotels during the day time to party at other hotel pools? thanks!

Vanessa

Lewis Pennington asked:


When it comes to traveling, there are few places as beautifully exotic as Mexico. Not only will you find the destination is better than the rest, but finding the time to plan your itinerary is easier than ever thanks to the internet. There are ancient pyramids, stunning beaches, exciting sports, and even yummy cuisines to tempt your tastes. If you forget to look at what vacation home rentals have to offer, you are missing out on a very important part of the whole process.

While hotels and motels are superb in Mexico, there is nothing like investigating the possibilities of vacation home rentals. There are villas along the beautiful Gulf coast and there are ocean front beach houses where water plays with all your senses. When you want something a bit more laid back, consider a condo in Mexico City or even visit beautiful Monterrey. You will discover that the possibilities are not limited by imagination.

However, when you are deciding on which vacation home rental is right for you, there are some steps you need to take to insure you are a smart shopper. Just because something has the highest price tag available does not make it better. In fact, many of those hidden oasis’ of perfection are inexpensive and just as elusive. You will find that whether you go to Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco, Ensenada, or another popular destination of your choice that if you know what you are getting, you will thoroughly appreciate your stay.

So what is it you should be looking for when you are wanting more?

Location. Location. Location. When you are choosing a villa or another type of property, be starkly aware of where the property is located. Just because a condo is in Cancun does not mean it is on the beach! Be sure to investigate the exact location of your intended property. Thanks to the internet, you will find it is easy to get a pinpoint location.

Amenities are a key to happiness. If you want a kitchen, be sure the property you are looking at has a kitchen. Just because you are getting a house does not mean it has a full sized kitchen. You should ask a lot of question concerning the size of your amenities that you just cannot live without. If you want a swimming pool, make sure the swimming pool advertised is not a kiddy pool.

What services are provided in the cost, and what services are going to cost extra. Having a maid is nice. However, just because the property has a maid does not mean the maid is free of charge. Even if you do not pay for the maid separately, you will want to have a nice gratuity to thank the maid. Be sure you know all of the costs before hand. Are you being charged for running water, the television service, or another service?

Know beforehand what you are getting with that vacation home rental to avoid confusion and surprises. Asking questions will go a long way in assuring you get the best bang for your buck.

Claude