The friendly husband/wife owners of Faon have the perfect combination of knowledge to run a childrens’ clothing store as they have worked in the fashion industry in NYC and have three kids. The shop is well designed for Moms (or Dads)to shop in easily – with its ramp to get in, wide aisles for strollers, a giant playhouse for the kids to play in, huge changing room which can fit a stroller (and a doorknob above toddler height), and even an aquarium at kid-in-stroller-level at the cash.

These fashionistas have shied away from the stifling pink/blue clothing (sizes 0-7)and made sure to have green, orange, beige, gray, red or black and white in really cool styles. They try to buy Quebec brands first (Petit Lem, Krickets) and then head for the labels that give style, quality and economy: Tea (only one in city), the European Noppies, Peekaboo Beans, Berlingot, Zutano (from Vermont)

April 30 and Mai 1, they’re  allowing you to select three items and they’ll give you the least expensive one for Free.  Faon has never offered discounts this early in the season. If your kid’s closet isn’t ready for summer yet, this is the perfect opportunity. This offer applies to all clothes and shoes on display during the sale but excludes toys and all non-clothing items. Cannot be combined with any other offer, discount or coupon.

4334 rue St-Denis
Montréal, QC
514-904-1313
www.faon.ca

Clarence & Cripps is a store specializing in British food and all things Brit. This morning they had an overwhelming amount of requests to join the ladies who were donning their hats and enjoying the wedding together at their shop. In order to keep the festive mood going, they will be giving away Wedding Cake this weekend in return for a voluntary donation to the Canadian Lifeboat Auxiliary.

The owner wrote to Prince William and Kate Middleton and asked if they had a charity here in Canada that was close to their hearts and believe it or not they wrote back!  So, at their personal request they are collecting for the Canadian Lifeboat Auxiliary.

When you venture in to the store, you will discover a friendly shop filled with  British foods. You will find: Robertson’s mincemeat, Tate Lyle golden syrup, and in the freezer: 4 kinds of sausage, Melton mowbray pork pies, and their own steak and kidney pie.

Favorite snacks are there too: Walker’s chips (steak & onion, prawn cocktail), Maynard’s wine gums, Galaxy minstrels, McVities digestives and some Marks & Spencer products. If you’re lucky you’ll be able to scoop up some real Devonshire double cream for your scones.

Delivery is available, even to downtown. So why not plan a royal party of your own this weekend?

Location: 71 Cameron, Hudson
Phone: 450-458-4073
Store Hours: Tues-Sat 10-5, Sun 12-4
www.clarenceandcripps.com

Mimi and Coco produce luxury knitwear in timeless styles that last more than one season. This weekend they are having an up to 70% off sample sale in their Little Italy location. Their knits are made in Italy on tubular machines which hug the body comfortable and avoid seams.  Their attention to detail in buttons, stitching and trim make them pretty. Expect to find  cardigans, dresses, tops, tees and some things for men and the kids too.

Location: 6717 boul. St-Laurent
corner: St-Zotique
Phone: 514-274-6262
Dates: Apr 28 & 29: 10-9, Apr 30: 10-6, May 1: 11-5
www.mimicoco.com

Rekognize has an annual sale on cool lines.  You can get first dibs on Fall 2011 lines like: 11Gear from Comune, Makia, Bruxe, and Lifetime. This is a cash only sale.

Location: 1001 Lenoir, A-207
corner: St-Antoine
Metro: St-Henri
Dates and Time: Fri Apr  29:  5-9;  Sat  Apr 30:  11-5
Twitter.com/Rekognizemtl/
Facebookpage: Rekognize
www.rekognizedesign.com www.bruxedesign.com

Premium Retail Group has amazing sales where you can save from 60-90% on the much sought after labels: Guess, Jack & Jones,  Killah, Energie, Miss Sixty . There’s denim, jackets, tops hoodies , dresses, outerwear and footwear for men, women and kids.

With over 10,000 units of all new inventory from the hottest fashion brands in  samples, overstocks and slighlty irregular pieces, you can really score big here with clearance prices $10-$30. This last licks moment will last 6 days.

Location:  4454 Rue Garand, off 40 West Service Road, Ville-St-Laurent
Dates and Hours:  Apr 28&29: 11-9, Apr 30, May1, May 7, May 8: 11-5
www.premiumretailgroup.com

A homegrown company,, Arianne still produces the majority of their lingerie, tops, dresses, camisoles, and loungewear at their facilities in Montreal. The sales are the only time that their doors are open to the public and prices will be 50%-70% off.

A nicely organized event, all of the items are organized by size and price so you can easily find what you’re looking for.  The merchandise is hung up and items that are on tables, are well marked.  Fitting rooms with mirrors are provided.

They’ve started  Facebook pages:
Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/pages/Arianne-Lingerie/205645529461916
Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/event.php?eid=139061762829393

Location: 1655 Louvain ouest
corner: Marche Centrale
Dates:  Apr 28-May 7
Times: Sat-Wed: 10-5, Thurs & Fri 10-9
www.ariannelingerie.com

This sale which (as you see in the flyer on my Oct 19 shlog) ran in Oct is now having a 50% off everything left sale this week on PonyRide, Spoom, Colcci, FP and Muchacha. Cash only.

Location 225 Chabanel, suite 405
Phone: 514-937-5311

Dates: Apr 28 & 29
Time: 10-7
www.ponyride.ca

It’s a brand which offered one of the first  cool names, m0851,  so if you love their cool leather bags, accessories, jackets, outerwear,  dresses, tops, pants,  they are having a weekend factory sample where prices will be up to 70% off. This is good timing for Mother’s Day.

If you shop at their stores, during the sale period ask for your 20% off.

Location: 5555 Casgrain, suite 201
corner: St-Viateur
Tel: 514-849-9759
Dates: Apr 29 -May 1,
Times: Fri 9-7, Sat 10-5, Sun 12-5
www.m0851.com

Tomorrow I will be interviewed along with my husband, Stan Posner on Global TV by Richard Dagenais on the show “Focus Montreal”.  We will talk about our book, “Drive I-95:Exit by Exit Info, Maps, History and Trivia”. Anyone planning a summer vacation up or down the East Coast must tune in.

The show is picked up on Videotron, Ilico, Shaw  and Bell.

Date: Sat: Apr 30
Time: 6:30pm across Quebec.

It is always good when we can find another place for deals. For those of you who like to dress your  kids (sizes 0-14) in European-styled clothing (Cowboy belt, imps and elfs, Munster kids, Tumble Dry, ), accessories and toys, Fashion District is encouraging us to come by offering a 70% off sale.

Location: 7499 Transcanadienne
corner: Cote Vertu
Sale dates: Apr 27-Apr 30
Times: Mon-Fri 10-6, Sat 10-3
www.fashiondistrict.ca