When it’s hot outside, why not take a pair of jeans out of your freezer to keep your butt cool? Nudie jeans suggest that you keep your jeans there when you are not wearing them. You do not wash them for 6 months. This way they somehow have a memory of how you wear them and fit better. After the 6 months gestation, you can wash them.

You can buy them at Jeans, Jeans Jeans, a  huge outlet where they just love to help you find a pair that fits and that you like. In sizes up to 62, they have all the premium denims in brand names you’ve come to know (Second Denim Yoga Jeans, Nudie, Buffalo, Chip & Pepper, City of Others, Diesel, Dish, DKNY, Drunken Monkey, Ed Hardy, Fidelity, Gas,  Guess, Guido& Mary, Hudson, IT, Joes, Kaporal, Levis, Lois, LTB, Mavi, Mexx, MEK, Paige, Parasuco, Rock and Republic, Seven For All Mankind, Schott, Silver, Tommy, True Religion, William Rast) along with tops, jackets and even some for kids. If you need them, there are $10 and $25 racks. As a special service, they will hem or alter them on the spot for free. Parking is free in the #5445 and #5605 buildings  (give a deposit and get it back).

5575 Casgrain
corner: St-Viateur
Tel: 514-279-3303
www.jeansjeansjeans.ca

You think if you have a great idea for an internet business, it’s a get-rich  quick scheme. Well it could be – if you only knew how to make it happen.

The International Startup Festival is a two-day conference for people who want to begin an online business presence and then some. So you learn not only how to start up but how to exit – and everything else in between.

The entrepreneur needs to learn essential steps, frameworks, and learn the resources that can help (like how to stay lean, or how to manage investors, what’s an incubator,  mobil experts, social networking, and perhaps even gaming)  and most importantly, the art of planning the selling of the business.

The conference brings together industry veterans and fresh faces, thought leaders and technology giants from around the world. Last year they attracted 1100 participants.  If you are a Starving Startup, there are  patrons who have money and are willing to buy extra tickets  for a company that may not  have any (yet!).

There will be chances throughout the event to pitch your idea. Besides that, this year anyone attending will have a chance to win $50,000 of funding . It is so cool that they offer up an actual elevator for elevator pitches.

International Startup Festival 2012
Location: Iberville Maritime Terminal in the Old Port
Dates Wed, July 11- Fri, July 13
www.startupfestival.com

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)

There’s a section for baby gifts: diaper bags, Ergobaby carriers (this is the brand the mammas are asking for), bibs and small toys like the hugely popular Blabla dolls.

Location:4334 St. Denis
corner: Marie-Anne
Tel: 514-904-1313
Hours: Regular
Sale Dates: July2-July31

At Puffy Fashion’s warehouse, they offer children’s wear from newborn up to size 10 for boys and girls. Some of the items you might find: 3-pc sets with jackets or sweater knit top or polar vest, skirt sets with matching tights, dresses with matching tights, pyjamas and sleepers, pant set, jackets, baby car bags.

Prices are excellent, up to 70% off and taxes are included. The sale is ending this Saturday.

Location: 9494 Boul.  St-Laurent, suite 600
Corner: Chabanel
Phone: 514-274-6449
Times: Wed: 10-5, Thurs & -Fri 10-6, Sat 9:30-3

Mega Vente has amazing vente prices all year long.  Right now they are having a super summer sale where  athletic shorts are  $1.88,  men’s cargo shorts are $5, ladies jeans are $7.88,  and 2-piece girls’ short sets are $5.

This was a secret warehouse for a long time, but now it’s very open to the public. The huge neat space has something for everyone at 75%-90% off, from men’s suits/tie/shirt combos at $99 (34-60 short, reg, tall) – including a salesman to help you out  – to $1, $3, $5 kids’ (3 mos.-16) racks.

The first quality clothing is balance of inventory from the current season. Females (XS-4XL) and males (S-5XL) might find: sweat shirts, dress shirts ($8), jackets ($39), T-shirts ($3), jeans, cotton fleece, nylon pants, pyjamas, dresses, blouses, swimsuits, shorts and even kids’ snowsuits all year round.

Locations: 120 boul. St-Joseph, Lachine
Tel: 514-637-1116
Other location: Laval, 2055 Autoroute 440 O.
Tel: 450-688-2221
Other temporary location: 8235 boul. Langelier
Sale dates:  June 27-July2
www.megaventemontreal.com

Depot du Plain Air is having a contest which ends on June 28, with the winner to be announced at 1 pm.

To enter, go to their web site at www.depotpleinair.com and fill in the entry form. You can win a kayak in one of eight colours.

Dépôt du Plein Air’s  goal is to get you to enjoy the outdoors with down to earth pricing. They seek out the best quality/priced products and take pride in getting to know their customers, in order to define their needs and suggest different product alternatives.

The store is a virtual camp ground with 8,000 square feet of products set up on display. Customers are encouraged to walk through the more then 25 fully assembled tents. Lie in a choice of 40 sleeping bags while testing the comfort of camping mats.

Take a trek around the store with a choice of more then 50 backpacks on your back or snowshoes on your feet as well as cross country ski’s and boots. There is a selection of more then 15 kayaks, canoes and SUP’s (Stand Up Paddleboards) available in 8 different colors.

As well, a broad selection of outdoor clothing. The only way to know if a product is right for you is to try it.

I’ve just had a conversation with Michel Blanchard who installs air conditioners for a living. He’s a second-generation installation guy so he really knows his stuff (been in the business over 42 years).

Blanchard recommends Quincaillerie Beaubien which is a Rona affiliate. In season, they have an unusually large selection of window air conditioners.

Location: 3194 Beaubien
corner :10th
Tel:  514-727-4525

Installer: Blanchard
Tel: 450-689-8667

I’m in love with my Yoga jeans.  Borys Fridman at Jeans, Jeans, Jeans insisted I buy them when I was looking for new jeans. I insisted on trying on about 20 other pairs but came back to them in the end.  He was right, of course. That’s because he has been in the jeans business forever and knows his products – and his customers.

Why do I love them? It’s because they are soooo comfy – they actually feel like you are wearing yoga pants. Besides denim, black and white jeans, they come in all the vibrant colors of the season – in high waist or low waist, etc.

Yesterday’s Gazette featured a story about the owner of Second Denim Yoga Jeans. Eric Wazana makes these jeans in the Beauce.  He is personally trying to keep people in this province working – as opposed to those in Asia. So it’s necessary for all of us to support him.

Jeans, jeans and more jeans is what you’ll find, once you’ve ventured into Bory’s huge outlet where they just love to help you find a pair that fits and that you like. In sizes up to 62, they have all the premium denims in brand names you’ve come to know (Second Denim Yoga Jeans, Nudie, Buffalo, Chip & Pepper, City of Others, Diesel, Dish, DKNY, Drunken Monkey, Ed Hardy, Fidelity, Gas,  Guess, Guido& Mary, Hudson, IT, Joes, Kaporal, Levis, Lois, LTB, Mavi, Mexx, MEK, Paige, Parasuco, Rock and Republic, Seven For All Mankind, Schott, Silver, Tommy, True Religion, William Rast) along with tops, jackets and even some for kids. If you need them, there are $10 and $25 racks. As a special service, they will hem or alter them on the spot for free. Parking is free in the #5445 and #5605 buildings  (give a deposit and get it back).

5575 Casgrain
corner: St-Viateur
Tel:514-279-3303
www.jeansjeansjeans.ca

Just in time for moving day, here is a one-day auction of new furniture. Unfortunately Ameublement Esprit Nouveau in Laval has gone under. They sold beautiful contemporary made-in-Quebec lines of dining room tables and chairs, couches, side tables, rugs, etc. You have an opportunity to score amazing deals.

Location:  1828 boul. Le Corbusier
Tel: 395-444 or 800- 843-2338
Date: Tuesday June 26
Hours; starts at 11 a.m.
www.ciacpcc.com

If you are a Diesel clothing fan, you probably know about the 1,000’s of clearance, seconds, samples (jeans: women it’s 28, men 32; tops: women – S, men – L) and some regular discounted stock that you can buy at the Surplus stores.

Right now they are having one of their sample sales, this time for Scotch & Soda lines.

The Diesel jeans are regularly here along with 55DSL, Energie, Lucky 7, Miss Sixty, Maison Scotch, Scotch & Soda and Nudie.

Locations: 5168 boul. St-Laurent and Les Factoreries St-Sauveur, 105 Guindon, (450-240-0555).
Tel:  (St-Laurent) 514-948-5005
Hours: Mon-Wed 10-6, Thurs & Fri 10-9, Sat 10-5, Sun 12-5
www.surplusclothing.ca