I have always been pleased that my shopping advice plays well on both sides of Boul. St-Laurent. My book has been available in French as well as English, as “Le Consommateur Averti Montreal”.  The French media have always been kind to me over the years, writing stories  mentioning the book or me.
Next Tuesday, in a «cahier spécial» on shopping and fashion, inserted in the Journal de Montréal, you will find an article by Nathalie Villeneuve quoting me.

Location: Journal de Montreal, cahier special on shopping and fashion
Date: Tuesday, April 21, 2009
http://www.canoe.com/journaldemontreal/   (not sure if the cahier special will be online though)

The Young Bar of Montreal in partnership with the Quebec Bar is offering free legal advice today. Whatever you might need a bit of help with, be it an estate situation, a family problem, a feud with a neighbor or troubles at your work place, you can call them and ask away. What good timing in these troubling times.

Tel: 514-954-3448 or 866-433-3204
Time: 9-5

If you are about to put away your down coat for the season, it is best not to try to wash it yourself. Down coats need a professional dry cleaner to properly assess all of the fabrics used in the making of the coat and how to clean each of them. They know not only how to get the feathers to their fluffiest state but also how to take care of the other fabrics on the coat.
Some times if there is a coating on the inside of the lining, it can bubble, peel or harden in cleaning, and many care labels do not list the proper content or give the proper cleaning instructions so it is up to the professional dry cleaner to know exactly what process to use on each fabric.
Also there could be an issue on how to dry it properly. If the feathers are oily, yellow spots may come to the surface of the coat. Both the drying temperature and the drying time have to be controlled or sometimes the coat has to be air dried. Bellingham Cleaners knows how to do this right as they have been around since 1940 and not only do they have a home or office pick up service but they even have a drive-though window!

Location: 2655 Bates Rd. at Wilderton, Outremont
Tel: 514-733-4444
2nd location: 1 Westmount Square (514-934-3353)
Hours: Mon-Wed 7:30-6:30, Thurs & Fri 7:30-7, Sat 8-5, Sun 11-5

Manhattan Industries is having weekend sample clearance sales for men’s and women’s clothing and shoes at 50% too 70% off. If these are the names you like, head over here: Industry (edgy streetwear for men and women sizes XS-L), Industry shoe company (mens’ casual and dressy leather shoes sizes 38-44), Pure & Simple (women casual basics, some for men), Debbie Schuchat (designer 2-piece outfits, blouses, dresses, outerwear), d Collection (sweater knits , Me(el) (ladies feminine tops, dresses sizes XS-L) and Adriano Goldschmied denim.

Location: 6150 Transcanadienne
Corner of Isabey, Ville St. Laurent
Dates: Fri Apr 17th: 5-9, Sat Apr 18th, Sat Apr 25th, Sat May 2nd and Sat May 9th 9-1
www.manhattaninc.com

Leather clothing has moved from the edges of society, out of the north lands, past the bikers and right into mainstream dressing. Leather has become so versatile and malleable  that European designers use it regularly in their collections. The newest incarnation version is full of stretch and worked so thin that when worn it looks and feels skin like again.

Kinds of leather:
Lambskin – the softest and most expensive but also requires more upkeep and care
Suede – here in Canada, usually comes from tanning pigs and is very difficult to wear in our climate (can also be made out of lamb but is more expensive)
Cowhide – stronger more textured leather, less expensive
Nubeck – newest tanning method of cowhide which makes it appear suedelike, quite durable
Sheepskin – heaviest, thickest, warmest because it leaves the wool attached. Merino is the Rolls Royce name for sheepskin because it is much lighter and more comfortable to wear and of course much more expensive.

Buying directly from the manufacturer is easy in Montreal. Both Alaska Leather and Coronet are family businesses, each open over 30 years, offering quality men’s and ladies’ jackets, coats suits, pants, skirts, long coats and removable-lined winter jackets in the newest styles at about half the price of downtown. Make a choice from the showroom or have something made to order at the same price.

Alaska Leather, 71 St Viateur East at Casgrain
Tel: 514-277-6259
Hours: Mon-Sat 9-4 and by appt.

Coronet, 7475 boul. St Laurent at Faillon
Tel: 514-272-2638
Hours: Mon-Fri 8-5, Sat 8-3 (Closed July, Summer: Mon-Fri 9-4, Sat 10-3)

You can try to beat the recession by attending factory warehouse sales. Groupe Imperial is having one selling off t’s, hoodies, athletic shoes, jeans, purses, shorts and golf-style shirts by Avirex, ecko unltd., Zoo York and eckored. At these sales you can expect up to 80% off in savings from your mall prices. This sale lasts over 2 weeks and new merchandise appears daily.

Location: Groupe Imperial, 650 Lebeau at Deslauriers, VSL
Tel: 514-335-3333
Dates and Times: Apr 9th-Apr 25th: M-F 9-5, Sat 8-4

Twice a year, in April and October, the Quebec fashion designers gather together to sell off all of their samples and surplus stock in a sale called “La Grande Braderie de Mode Quebecoise”. Expect to pay 50%-80% off of original prices of these original designs by Rudsak, Muse, Mackage, Report Collection, Soia & Kyo, Bodybag, Tavan & Mitto, TXT Carbon Inc,  Marie Sainte-Pierre, Concubine, Iris, Extenso 14+, Lola, Envers, Gaudette Design, Eve Gravel, Colt, Station 8, Julie Bou, Matteo Mio, Myco Anna, Dino Gaspari, O Collection, Barila, JC Rags, Michel Desjardins, Message Factory, Pepin Design, Mylene B, Lelievre, Nenufar, Ivano Homme, Frett Design, Veronique Miljkovitch, Sylvie Germain, De Shalla, Genevieve Dostaler,  Blanc Mouton, Pierre Poisson, Rouzanna, Mestiza, Dinh Ba Design, Ophelie Hats, Les Mains Folles, Veronique D’Aragaon, France Anctil, Virage, Fluide. New This Time:Bijoux Caroline Neron, Touch of Me

Phone: 514-866-2006 X 300.
Location: March Bonsecours, 350 rue St-Paul E, Old Montreal
Dates: April 16 & 17: 10-9, April 18 & 19: 10-5
Leave your e-mail at www.braderiedemodequebecoise.com to be notified about future sales.

One of the longest running factory sales, Krickets children’s wear is having their Spring/Summer event. Parents with their strollers line up (inside at least) down a hall for this one. As in all warehouse clearance events all sales are final. Taxes are included in the already low low prices. In sizes 3 mos. to 12 years, the brands they will offer are: Krickets (12 mos – 24 mos, 2-3X-4T, 4-6X, 7-12), baby (3 mos-12 mos), Sleepy Bug sleepwear and Squirtz bathing suits.

Location: 333 Chabanel West, Suite 800
Tel: 514-382-5890
Dates and Hours: April 20-24: 8-5, Sat Apr 25th 8-2
http://kricketsworld.com

One way to change your room decor in a small way that would make a big difference is to change your lighting. Lamps can be made out of almost anything and shades designed to match – kind of like when you change your handbag or jewelry and your whole outfit looks different. The other cool thing about this idea is that you can take a special object, one that has some meaning in someone’s life and turn it into a part of your decor. It could be a musical instrument, a duck decoy, a silver coffee pot or a champagne bottle.
Louis Lapointe, owner of Abat-Jour Decor in Laval takes your prized possessions turns them into lamps making sure the shades are the right shape and height. The shades are hand painted (perhaps faiance, gold or silver leaf) to match. Electrical repairs and modifications of the height of the harp can be handled too. Don’t throw away your mementos, turn them into lamps.

Location: 2267 Boul. le Corbusier, Laval
corner: Boul. le Carrefour
Tel: 450-682-8280
Hours: Tues-Fri 10-6, Sat 10-5
www.abat-jourdecor.ca

House of Shoes with savings up to 75% off retail, has moved to a new, where appointments are not always necessary and with plenty of parking. You can now shop with as many friends and cars as you like. They still have their “Shoe Shopping Spree” parties. It is also advisable to book if you are coming with a group larger than 6 or more women.

New location: 203 Hymus Blvd. Suite 203
corner: Boul. St. John (above the TD bank)
Tel: 514-674-2008
Hours: Opening hours are updated weekly on web site
Grand Re-opening hours: Fri Apr 10: 10-5, Sat Apr 11: 11-4
dianebond@videotron.ca
www.houseofshoes.piczo.com