Montreal, late August 2011: things are back to normal

[+ newatthis]

Montreal last week was as good as it’s ever been. All 3 strip clubs were full of good-looking, well-built, and, for the most part, friendly dancers. I must have seen 30-40 different dancers during the week, and less than a handful were duds.

 

Apart from Sunday, when it was black as night and raining very hard due to T. S. Irene, the weather was bright and sunny, with temperatures in the high-60’s/low-70’s. Ste. Cathérine was bustling with people and the restaurant row between de la Visitation and Panet had full terraces well beyond 9 pm (by my count there are 12 restaurants in that one short block, not including the bars).

 

There was lots of energy in all the clubs and a generally good feeling among the dancers and clients. An added bonus: I learned there is good reason to believe that Taboo will be resurrected as a male strip club (not a female one, as rumored here).

 

JP’s. I waited till Wednesday night – when ladies are in theory not admitted – to go to JP’s. Nevertheless, there were a few women, but their presence made no tangible difference. The club had really high energy, inspired by the DJ, Laurence. I was impressed with the dancers’ looks and the quality of their stage shows. I didn’t get to check them out more intimately; as I walked in, I was grabbed by a former Campus dancer I had known very well 2 years ago and ended up spending the evening with him.

 

Stock. Over the past few years I have spent little time at Stock, mainly because the dancers were too big, too muscled, too unfriendly, and too straight for my taste (not to mention that most of them just shuffled around and rarely got completely naked on stage).

 

I made 2 quick stops there early in the week and found it pretty dull. But Thursday night was a different story. I was amazed at the change, both from earlier in the week and from what I’d experienced in the past. Alongside the big, over-muscled guys were quite a few dancers who could have just walked over from the afternoon shift at Campus. Almost everyone, whatever their size, was actually dancing, and everybody got completely naked and hard on stage. I was smitten with the bartender, Samuel, and had a great time in back with Marc, who belongs to that small select group of straight dancers (think Criss, Julian, Davey, Brandon) who are completely interactive with the customers and give better value in back than many of their gay compatriots. (He also has the largest dick I’ve ever seen at Stock, and that’s saying a lot.)

 

Campus. This is where I started my strip club rounds every afternoon. The variety and quality of the dancers astounded me. Even Sunday night during the storm, when only 4 dancers were working, three had almost perfect looks and physiques. Most were friendly and low-pressure; the whole vibe at Campus was intimate and comfortable. On Monday night, in addition to a large crowd of clients and dancers, there was a private bachelor party in the side room for a gay couple getting married later in the week.

 

There was a special treat for me at Campus. While sitting with Davey, the dancer-model-actor I met last year, my eyes were drawn to a really cute, smallish dancer on stage. I asked Davey if he knew him. “He used to dance here a few years ago; I think his name is Pascal.” I looked again. Yup, it was Pascal, still cute as a bug, but with his hair a little different, which is why I didn’t recognize him immediately. He’s one of my (and most other customers’) all-time favorites; I hadn’t seen him since he retired in 2008. I excused myself for a minute to sit stage-side. Pascal spotted me right away and shot me a big smile. His dancing is a temporary add-on to another job; if you’re a Pascal fan, I’d hop on the first available flight before he disappears again.

 

Miscellaneous stuff. I had two excellent dinners at NÜVÜ, the one-year old restaurant across from Saloon which I discovered in June. The night manager is spectacular eye candy (straight, unfortunately). I finally got to Fairmount Bagels to sample the Montreal product I’ve heard so much about. It’s a little hole in the wall place, barely enough room for 6 people to stand inside the store. At 1:15 pm there was a line out the door and partly down the block, a mixture of tourists carrying guidebooks and locals. I found their bagels much better than US bagels, somehow denser and sweeter at the same time.

[eeyore]

Thanks for the update. I hope to get up there this weekend before Ste. Catherine St. is reopened to traffic. I also had a great time with Pascal at Campus during my last visit. He is a true sweetheart. I hope he sticks around. I guess we'll have to keep our fingers crossed on Taboo.

[EZEtoGRU]

Yes. Thanks for the update. I am intrigued by your description of Marc. I don't recognize him by name. Would definitely be on my list for the next time. Thanks!!

[Karl-G]

Thank you for the very interesting update on Montreal; things sound a lot better than they were in previous posts.

 

Mention of Pascal brought a broad smile to my face and many warm memories. Many an afternoon Pascal and I spent cuddling on the banquette to the left side of the stage as we talked and played before heading to the back. He was always very generous with his time, interesting and funny to chat with, and delightful in back. He is one of my favorites in Montreal, the perfect, cute, and charming twink dancer.

[zeferrelli]

good update! much needed

[+ newatthis]

... the perfect, cute, and charming twink dancer.

I'd agree with the first three adjectives for sure, but he doesn't fit my definition of "twink" -- too much muscle for that. My definition may be more restrictive than yours .

[eeyore]

I'd agree with the first three adjectives for sure, but he doesn't fit my definition of "twink" -- too much muscle for that. My definition may be more restrictive than yours .

 

How about 'in-be-twink' ? ...lol.

[Samai139]

If you go to http://www.stockbar.com you can see Marc in a short trailer---not nude, but it shows a very handsome dancer )

I also am interested in Adam, Ramy and Jason. Anybody have any 411 on them?

Thanks for the update on Montreal. I'd like to get up there before winter, but.......

[+ newatthis]

not the same Marc

 

www.stockbar.com[/url] you can see Marc in a short trailer---not nude, but it shows a very handsome dancer )

I...

Samai -- the Marc whose trailer comes up when you click on "portfolio" is not the one I wrote about. My Marc was a strawberry blond.

 

Thanks for causing me to check out the Stock website for the first time in a while. I was really impressed with the professionalism of the site. The other clubs would do well to follow suit. I was also impressed with how erotic the main trailer on the site was.

[tazmanian5230]

I think hes talking about MAM....

[+ newatthis]

I think hes talking about MAM....

Taz -- thanks. I forgot that his stage name was MAM. I should add that he's grown his hair back in, and I think he's much better looking with hair than without, as on the trailer. And, of course, his personality doesn't come through on the trailer.

[Irtwo]

Thanks for that Stockbar link. Just judging by the short videos they provided, Daniel and Ricky are my favorites.

[Karl-G]

The NYTimes today reviews the opening of La Maison Symphonique, the new home of the Montreal Symphony. Did you see it? Just where is it located? The new park is on the lot just across the street to the west? And they projected the delayed concert on the wall above and to the west of the park? Or do I have it all wrong?

[Samai139]

After reading the two posts above, I revisited Stock's website to check out Mam, next to Marc. Then I checked out the other dancers again and saw Nicolas. A year ago?? or less or more, I remember another Nicholas, or maybe it was the same one, who really appealed to me. If the present Nicolas is not the same, the two certainly have a striking resemblance. Does anyone know the "old" Nicholas I am referring to and if the present one is the same? Thanks.

[+ newatthis]

The NYTimes today reviews the opening of La Maison Symphonique, the new home of the Montreal Symphony. Did you see it? Just where is it located? The new park is on the lot just across the street to the west? And they projected the delayed concert on the wall above and to the west of the park? Or do I have it all wrong?

I only saw it from the inside; that is, while walking through the passageway from the Hyatt to the métro. They were giving tours of the new facility while I was there; it wasn't open yet. My impression from inside is that the hall is to the east of the theaters, which would put the park is to the east of the building. But that's just a guess.

 

The whole Quartier des Spectacles centered around the Place des Arts is delightful. It's only half finished, but even now, the plaza is a wonderful place to sit with a sandwich or espresso, watching the people and the dynamically programmed fountains.

 

The Montreal Gazette has an article about the opening as well as lots of pictures of the new hall.

[Karl-G]

Thanks for the links. I'm used to the ubiquitous red carpets for openings in the U.S. Did you see the carpet in Montreal?

[Karl-G]

La Maison Symphonique

 

Interesting. None of the articles on the building which I read comment on the external architecture of the building. It does not relate at all to the two other theaters on the Place des Arts. But it seems to be heavily indebted to and related to, in style and materials, the Grande Bibliotheque, which is just a few blocks down the street. Extensive use of light yellow North American beech, very similar to the yellow birch (national tree of Quebec) in the Grande Bibliotheque.

[+ newatthis]

update on La Maison Symphonique

 

The NYTimes today reviews the opening of La Maison Symphonique, the new home of the Montreal Symphony. Did you see it? Just where is it located? The new park is on the lot just across the street to the west? And they projected the delayed concert on the wall above and to the west of the park? Or do I have it all wrong?

I lucked out last week -- I made a stop to see the Maison Symphonique around noon and stumbled into an open rehearsal for that evening's concert. The acoustics were wonderful. The building is located on St. Urbain across from the rue de Montigny (i.e. just south of de Maisonneuve). There's still a fair amount of work being done in the public areas outside the hall itself and on the exterior. Here are shots of the interior and exterior. The small trees in the exterior photo are in the southwest corner of the park that faces the building.

 

 

[Karl-G]

Thanks for the update, clarification, and beautiful pictures.