Five safe-ish things to do over the holidays
Have you ever actually walked to the top of the mountain? No time like the present
'Tis a confounding holiday season, if e'er there was. For much of this week, there was talk of a lockdown, which may still come before the year is out. Omicron cases are through the very roof upon which old St. Nick is supposed to land Friday eve. And for the next week or two, the world is stopping. Many of us will find ourselves with time on our hands, and no idea of how to spend it.
With all that in mind, here are five safe-ish things to do as we ease into 2022. 1. Take a walk on the mountain.
I know, duh, right? Yet when was the last time you did it? It's Montreal's crown jewel, our pride and joy, and for good reason. It offers a little piece of countryside in the middle of the city.
Walk up to the lookout and back down, and you've just spent a half-day outdoors, soaking up precious vitamin D, breathing fresh air and getting the blood pumping. And how about that lookout? It offers quite the view. Along the way, stop at Beaver Lake and go for a skate. Or bring a crazy carpet and take a run down the hill that faces it.
For those not able to partake in a big hike, you can drive up, park in the lot and make your way to the lookout or the lake. It's even accessible by public transit, so there's basically no excuse: You're going to the mountain.
2. Visit a museum.
Montreal's concert halls, theatres and cinemas may be closed, but museums are open — for the time being, at least. I know what you're thinking: How safe is it to be wandering around a museum with strangers right now? Turns out museums may be among the safest places to visit, as they're exceptionally well-ventilated. Museums are also limiting attendance according to public health regulations, and tickets can be booked in advance. Take advantage while you still can.
The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts has several exhibitions at the moment, including “How long does it take for one voice to reach another?” highlighting major works from the institution's permanent collection touching on themes of “love, loss, separation, reconciliation, listening and the desire to be heard.”
The Musée d'art contemporain presents Terror Contagion, looking at cellphone surveillance, with narration by Edward Snowden. It is also offering the free virtual exhibition Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything, at macm.org.
And the Mccord Museum has free admission until Jan. 19.
3. Take a street art tour.
You don't have to go into a museum. Montreal's streets are alive with public art, from murals to sculptures to the light installations in Quartier des spectacles.
Montrealer Archie Fineberg has written a book, Montreal's Street Art Gallery, and assembled a series of self-guided walking, cycling and driving street art tour maps, available at montrealstreetartgallery.ca.
“The maps encompass the 17 boroughs of the city of Montreal as well as several independent municipalities,” according to the site, which includes an embedded link to Google Maps to plan or navigate your route.
4. Meander through a different neighbourhood.
Tired of existing within the same 10-block radius since the start of the pandemic? Here's a crazy thought: Go walk around some other neighbourhood. There's Old Montreal, sure, but how about a stroll along Wellington St. in Verdun? Or Victoria Ave. in Côte-des-neiges—notre-dame-de-Grâce?
Jean-talon St. in Parc-extension boasts a delightful mix of Indian restaurants, Greek pastry shops and African dépanneurs. Laurier Ave. E., just west of Papineau Ave., features cheese shops, a great bakery and several restaurants. De Castelneau St. in Villeray has a friendly neighbourhood vibe.
Gentrification be damned, it's still a treat to walk along St-viateur St. in Mile End, or better yet Bernard Ave., a block up. There are great views of the river just north of Gouin Blvd. And in a pinch, there are always the reliable fallbacks: Mont-royal Ave., St-laurent Blvd. or St-denis St.
5. Watch a free Canadian movie. If you don't want to leave your home, our National Film Board offers free online access to its rich and illustrious history. Over 5,000 documentaries and animated films are available to stream at nfb.ca.
They're even getting into the spirit of the season with a curated selection of films, titled NFB Ho Ho Holidays! If you're tight on time, you can catch Jeff Hale's 1963 animated short The Great Toy Robbery, which clocks in at six minutes.
If you have a half-hour, how about Caroline Leaf's 1981 doc Kate and Anna Mcgarrigle?
At 44 minutes, there's Donald Brittain and Don Owen's 1965 film Ladies and Gentlemen … Mr. Leonard Cohen.
And with 80 minutes, why not Will Prosper's Kenbe La, Until We Win? It follows Haitian-québécois artist and activist Alain Philoctète's emotional return to the country of his birth.