Everything you need to mash and cook those tomatoes for canning your own pasta sauce can be found at Lingerie Pina & Carmelo Sacco – including a 100 litre pot (big enough to take a soak in)!  If you have tons of zucchini, eggplant or peppers and you want to preserve them, this is THE place to find everything you may need – and it has been for generations.

The store has it all. It’s one that I love to browse through.  You can find so many hard to find things here.  Do you know where else to buy  housecoats or cotton handkerchiefs? They have bedroom slippers too; If your size isn’t here, they will order them for you.

If you have a wedding planned this year, the Mother of the Bride could find an outfit, the bridal party too and you can even get bonbonnieres made-to-order and wrapped.  They offer a Bridal Registry and there are gifts galore.

The name  clearly does not define this family business as you’ll find and housewares: silverware, china, espresso makers and meat slicers. If you are looking for ecological cookware, they sell Cool Kitchen which has no PTFE, no PFOA and can be used for induction cooking. The Italian community knows to come here for Pizzel machines for cookies and Cavetelli machines for gnocchi, Those who like collectibles will find: Precious Moments, Walt Disney Collection and Disney Traditions by Jim Shore.

Designers are here to help you with curtains (free installation), and they have the exclusive Hunter Douglas Alustra line with copper and chrome headers. If you need them, there’s carpet runners by the yard  – and also hard to find plasticized fabric by the yard.

I can’t believe I even scored a warm hood which I’ll have my dressmaker “zipper on” to my new travel jacket.

Location: 8365 boul. Viau, St-Leonard QC H1R 2T6
corner: boul. Robert
Tel: 514-323-0427

Hours: Mon-Wed 9-6, Thurs & Fri 9-7:30, Sat 9-5. Open Sunday 10-5 from Labor Day – June 1st

Iegor is holding an auction for jewelry, International Art, Antiques, Canadian Art and colletibles. Even if you can’t make it there, the auction will be held simultaneously on location and LIVE on www.iegor.net

If you have something to sell, their experts can  assess your property in the following departments:  Canadian and International art , antiques, fine vintage wines, fashion and jewelry, 20th century design, art of Asia, India, Africa, Oceania and South America, rare books, scrolls and collectibles.

For important collections you may schedule an evaluation on site or at your residence by calling for an appointment.

Location: Hotel, des Encans, 870, rue du Couvent H4C 2R6
Tel: 514- 344-4081
Date and time: Aug 14: 7:30 pm
Preview: Aug 10, 11, 13, 14: 12-5
info@iegor.net
www.iegor.net

This store was one of my first OMG moments when writing my Smart Shopping Montreal book. Sim Centre de Liquidation is a “secret” clearance center for a huge un-nameable low “Cost” warehouse store. Here the prices go even lower as they discount 30% or more off on the already low prices from that chain – and all prices include the taxes, Wow! Who doesn’t like a good deal? At  that’s exactly what you get here.

There is no membership required at this liquidation center, therefore saving you even more money.

Returned items or items that just needed to be cleared out to make room for new merchandise (electronics, toys, clothing, auto, housewares, etc.) are sent to this store every week. All items are checked to make sure they work.

The friendly proprietors even keep a reservation book and will call you if an item you are looking for shows up.

You will be amazed at your finds and will keep going back to check out the new arrivals and great savings.

Locations: 341 ave. Ranger, Vaudreuil – Dorion J7V 2X3 (450-424-0998)
corner: rue Chicoine
Times: Mon-Wed 10-6, Thurs & Fri 10-8, Sat 10-5, Sun 12-5
simcentredeliquidation.ca/

My favorite flea market is in Montreal North, called Marche aux Puces St-Michel. The building has two floors filled with stalls showcasing second-hand items and collectibles like housewares, lamps, toys, guitars & amps, kitchenware, vintage radios/sound equipment, records, jewelry and furniture.

Location: 7707 Shelley
corner: boul. St-Michel, side entrance of 3250 boul. Cremazie
Phone: 514-721-7701
Hours: Open all year, Fri to Sun 9-5

Empire Auctions will pay you on the spot for any silver or gold you bring in to sell to them. Look in your jewelry box for broken bracelets, tangled chains, orphan earrings and that gaudy necklace from the 80s. Now is a good time to change all that sparkle into hard cash.

Rummage through all the drawers in the bedroom, dining room and kitchen for tea sets, flatware, serving pieces, gold coins, cigarette cases, silver bars or even gold teeth.

For silver, look for a stamp which says 800 or 925 which indicates that it is real silver.

Empire will weigh everything and make you an offer per gram. They list their prices daily on their website. When I wrote this, these were the prices per ounce:  gold: $1435.64,  silver: $ 17.79 and platinum: $ 967.50

Don’t forgewhileWhile you are going there, don’t forget they also buy: antiques, diamonds, paintings and sculpture, rare wristwatches and pocket watches, Persian rugs, furniture, crystal, memorabilia, rare automobiles, porcelains, rare coins, stamps, vintage toys and model trains, and much more.

Location: 5500 Pare, Ville Mont-Royal
corner: boul. Decarie
Tel: 514-737-6586 or 514-737-5343
Hours: Mon-Fri 10-5
www.empireauctions.com

When setting up a new house or apartment, why not buy quality products that the restauranteurs use so they last a long time? Head to the Marche Centrale area, to Tzanet, for restaurant grade quality equipment for cooking and baking. It has always been a popular shopping destination for hotels and restaurants, but you too can take advantage of their quality and variety.

All of your cooking and baking needs are met with name brands like Kitchen Aid, Cuisinart, Good Grips gadgets, a big selection of quality knives by Victorinox, a huge variety of dishes by Dudson from England, Arcopal from France and professional quality stainless steel pots and pans.

They sell Chicago Metallic Bakeware, a 100 year-old company which produces bakeware with a non-stick surface, which releases easily and clean-ups up effortlessly afterwards. Bakers and cake and cupcake decorators will also love the 50 ft. wall of Wilton products – and so will you.

Why not buy fast food trays or cutting boards in different colours to match any decor, 3′ pepper mills, tipped glass candy jars, call bells, oval stainless platters, cocktail shakers, oil table lamps, many sizes of pizza pans, strainers, whisks, a single serving teapot, booster seats or bamboo steamers? And if you need them, there’s a section of second-hand equipment like dishes, mixers, tables and chairs, etc.

Location: 1375 Louvain
corner: boul. l’Acadie
Tel: 514-383-0030
Store Hours: Mon-Fri 8-6, Sat 8-5
Other Location: 710 rue Bouvier, Quebec G2J 1A7 (581-742-9876)
www.tzanet.ca

You need to know where to go when it’s that special time for communion, confirmation or baptism. Lingerie Pina & Carmelo Sacco has been the go to place for generations.

If you have a wedding planned this year, the Mother of the Bride could find an outfit, the bridal party too and you can even get bonbonnieres made-to-order and wrapped.  They offer a Bridal Registry and there are gifts galore.

The name  clearly does not define this family business as you’ll find and housewares galore: silverware, china, toasters and meat slicers. If you are looking for ecological cookware, they sell Cool Kitchen which has no PTFE, no PFOA and can be used for induction cooking. The Italian community knows to come here for Pizzel machines for cookies and Cavetelli machines for gnocchi, Those who like collectibles will find: Precious Moments, Walt Disney Collection and Disney Traditions by Jim Shore.

Designers are here to help you with curtains (free installation), and they have the exclusive Hunter Douglas Alustra line with copper and chrome headers. If you need them, there’s carpet runners by the yard.

Do you know where else to buy  housecoats or cotton handkerchiefs?

Location: 8365 boul. Viau, St-Leonard QC H1R 2T6
corner: boul. Robert
Tel: 514-323-0427
Hours: Mon-Wed 9-6, Thurs & Fri 9-7:30, Sat 9-5. Open Sunday 10-5 from Labor Day – June 1st

With Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, gifts for teachers, engagement parties, and all sorts of events coming up on the horizon, it pays to wander the aisles of Le Panier to buy everything you need for any occasion in one place and get the job done.

Le Panier won the title of best gift store in Canada so this store worth a trip from anywhere. The huge shop is chock full of gourmet food, kitchenware,  and gifts at prices mostly under $25. You will not walk out empty-handed when you can choose amongst the jewelry, jams, hot sauces, kitchen gadgets, wearables and much, much more

If you can’t decide, there are ready-made gift baskets or custom-made ones too.

Here’s some ideas:

You can carry wine in an insulated pretty Wine Bag tote handbags. Michael Designs shea butter soaps, handwash and lotions,  For chocolate lovers there’s Louis Sherry New York chocolates in beautiful keepsake metallic tin boxes. I just love the Mighty Mug which won’t fall over – EVER; You can have your coffee near a keyboard without worries ($19.99). Grumpy Butcher’s Maple Bacon is hand-made here in Montreal in small batches from local Quebec pork farmers

For years people have been buying Mike’s Hot Honey which spice up all kinds of food ($14.99). Wrendale pottery makes adorable mugs with kittens, owls, ducks and there also a big selection of teapots. Willow Tree Figurines are popular too.    

For anyone, a cool gift might be the “upside-down” umbrella which closes without water dripping on you. There’s a big display of everything lavender. You can always buy Montreal’s favorite humbugs (now in different flavors), or someone might enjoy their own 5-year-old cheddar or their homemade fudge.

Location: 274 Bord du Lac, Pointe Claire
corner: de Lourdes
Tel: 514-695-7038
Hours: Regular plus Sun 10-5
www.thepanier.com

A forever piece of golden jewelry is a special gift. It doesn’t have to cost a bundle if you head for a jewelry wholesaler.

You can pay full price for gold jewelry in full-price retail stores downtown or you can go up to Bijouterie Oro, a wholesaler, and save half your money. Since 1987, this 3rd generation jeweler has been selling wholesale, and is open up to the public. Lucky us.

There is lots of golden stock to choose amongst, more than you would see in your small local jewelry store. You could go nutsy over the vast assortment of gold hoop earrings – they sell them by weight. You can select amongst the 100’s of chains; they are strong in 2-tone and 3-colors of gold from Italy or Turkey. There’s 14-carat Italian chain bracelets too, and lots of little religious pendants.

If you want to buy illusion diamond studs, they have those too. These earrings give the illusion of a whole stone, but are made up of little ones – for a much littler price.

If you have an older diamond (or any other precious stone) ring and you’d like to change it into something more modern, they can show you trays and trays of semi-mounts (that’s what your stone sits in), so you can see exactly what the ring will look like – it can even be tried on. You can take jewelry which has been just sitting in a jewelry box and have it re-modeled.

Bijouterie Oro still does local manufacturing, so they can reproduce a piece of jewelry from a photo. And they can repair your broken jewelry too.

If you decide to have something made from scratch, it would take about two weeks from the time you walk in the door until you happily present it.

Location: 1255 Phillips Square, Suite 1010
Tel: 514-393-1721 or 514-575-7511
Hours: by appointment only, Mon-Fri 9-4:30
orojewelleryinc@gmail.com
www.smartshoppingmontreal.com/store.php?s=280

Juke Box Canada/Alilo Canada has a unique concept of gift giving, because they personalize their products. If you give “The Lullaby Plush  a hug, he will sing a child’s name in a lullaby song. Available in English, French, Italian or Spanish,  the animal choices are very soft and cuddly, .

A personalized gift is a good idea for any occasion. you can buy singing alarm clocks,  MP3 players, CDs, CD ROMs, hard cover books, DVD’s and photo balloons.

Their best-selling and hugely popular gift is the ALILO Honey Bunny, which is a 4GB MP3 player, nightlight and voice recorder all-in-one. It is already preloaded with popular nursery rhymes and stories in English and French. You can also add and revise the content as you wish. You can order and download personalized songs which sing the child`s name (available in English, French, Italian and Spanish). With Honey Bunny, you can easily carry your child’s music everywhere you go. He is a soothing friend for babies and his soft, glowing ears are totally safe to bend, pinch and chew. Older children appreciate that they can download whatever content they like and have fun with the voice recorder.

Mornings will never be the same when your child (or anyone else) can wake up to his or her name being sung on wakeup song a Singing Alarm Clock. Start every day with a smile. You can also buy just the MP3 of the wake-up song or any other song on their site so that even teenagers or adults can download the song as a wake-up on their smartphones.

Other Entertaining Personalized Gifts:

– Personalized Music CDs: Children are thrilled to hear their name sung throughout each song. The music and lyrics are contagious. and can easily become a favorite and played often. Every name is recorded live by professional recording artists.

– Personalized DVD Movies: The child is the star of his very own movie so they will see their face in the animated, colorful scenes. There are several titles to choose from with funny story lines and amusing characters.

– Personalized Stories on CD-ROM: In Kids’ Story Books the story is read to your child while using him or her as the main character and he/she becomes the hero of every scene. At the click of the mouse the child makes the objects come to life as they speak, move and talk.

A child can read along with the printed text below every scene or choose to turn the narration off so he can read on his own. This enhances the reading skills at the child’s pace, since he chooses when to turn the page. When ordering, you get to choose: name, gender, ethnicity, eye and hair colour.

– Hard cover books: Capture a child’s attention and imagination as he/she becomes the star of his/her very own story. Many popular themes are available: Mother Goose, Santa, Spiderman and Sesame Street, to name a few.

– Personalized Photo Balloons: Any photo can be printed on both sides of balloons. They are cute to use as a centerpiece for a festive occasion. Amazingly, they last for years.

Juke Box Canada offers these special personalized gifts for any occasion: holidays, birthdays, back-to- school, or just because.

jukeboxcanada.com@gmail.com
Seasonal: Place Rosemere
Phone: 514-836-3113 or 514-762-0858
www.jukeboxcanada.com
http://jukeboxcanada.com/alilo-canada/
https://www.facebook.com/JukeBoxQuebec/