Survival Guide 2000

>> The Mirror's annual student survival guide

compiled by JOHN EDMONDS

Please note: Although much time and energy was put into this guide, a few errors may have escaped us. All corrections should be submitted to the Mirror office no later than Monday, Sept. 18 for publication in the [e]mail section of our Sept. 21 issue.



LIVING IN MONTREAL



Housing

Anyone who has ever lived anywhere else praises Montreal for its cheap rent. The high vacancy rates make finding a place to call home relatively easy. One exception is the Plateau, where finding decent, affordable digs can be a full-time job (although the rewards are substantial).



McGill Off-Campus Housing Computer housing listings for McGill students with valid student numbers. Online is best, as it is updated daily: www.residences.mcgill.ca /offcampus. Or ask for a print-out at their office Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm, at 3641 University, 398-6010. Up-to-date listings will also be e-mailed to you if you ask them at: offcampus@residences.lan.mcgill.ca

Concordia Off-Campus Housing and Job Bank Jobs and apartment listings. Online is best, as it is updated almost daily. http://alcor.concordia.ca/~housjob

Or you can go in person--with valid Concordia I.D.-- on Mon-Thu 10am-6pm, Fri 11-4pm, to 1455 de Maisonneuve W., #H260, 848-7476. Posted listings are updated only once per week but current printouts will be provided if you ask.

NDG Info Depot This user-oriented project of the NDG Commmunity Council is an information centre on low-cost housing, welfare and more.Visit 2121 Oxford (at de Maisonneuve), 483-5346, Wed-Fri 10am-3pm.

Société d'habitation et de dévéloppement de Montréal (SHDM) Owns about 5,000 residential rental units that it rents out at slightly lower than market value. Students eligible. Call 380-7436 for information on available housing.

Office municipal d'habitation de Montréal (OMHM) Owns 19,000 low-cost rental units, offered to those living below the poverty line. Full-time students are not eligible unless they have children. Three branches: east Montreal, 872-2235; central Montreal 872-2277; west Montreal 872-3368.

Co-ops

Fédération des co-opératives d'habitation de l'ile de Montréal (FECHIM) Represents co-op members and provides the master list of the roughly 400 housing co-ops on the island of Montreal. They'll provide this either in person or by mail. For mail, send a cheque or money order for $7 to FECHIM, 1000 Amherst, #201, H2L 3K5. Include your name, address and phone number. There will be an information meeting (in French) in September. Call for info. The session is $15 and includes the master co-op list. Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, service slow at lunchtime. 843-6929

Tenants' rights

There are some basic points that it helps to know before you sign any lease. First, Quebec leases make you and your roommates "jointly and severally responsible" for paying the rent and generally keeping your apartment in the condition you got it. Second, it's a good idea to get any promises your landlord makes or other agreements between you on paper. Quebec also has strict rent-increase limits and requires landlords to disclose the lowest rent paid in the dwelling in the last year on the lease itself. Landlords are not allowed to ask for first and last months' rent or a damage deposit.



Régie de logement This is a regional body of the Quebec government that exists to resolve landlord-tenant disputes in a court-like process. It also provides basic information on tenants' and landlords' rights and obligations. They'll give you a general overview of what you can apply for and do, without getting into specifics. They also have a publicly accessible computer database of all previous Régie decisions, which means you can study your landlord before signing or messing with him or her. Re-read your lease and gather all relevant documents before attempting to deal with rental disputes. 5100 Sherbrooke E., #2095, 873-2245, www.rdl.gouv.qc.ca. Contacting any of the following organizations before creating an open conflict or starting an official process is highly recommended.

Comité logement Centre-Sud 521-5992, 1710 Beaudry, #2.6 (metro Beaudry). Tue-Thu 1:30-4:30 pm.

Comité logement de la Petite Patrie 272-9006, 6747 St-Denis. Mon-Fri 9:30am-4:30pm (metros Beaubien or Jean-Talon).

Comité logement du Plateau 527-3495, 4450 St-Hubert, #328, (metro Mont-Royal). Mon-Fri 9am-12pm and 1:30-5pm, closed Tue mornings.

Comité logement Rosemont 597-2581, Mon-Fri 9am-5:00pm.

Association des locataires de Villeray 270-6703, 7378 Lajeunesse, #213 (metro Jean-Talon), Tues and Thurs from 1:30-4:30pm.

Comité d'action de Parc-Extension 278-6028, 7745 Champagneur, #102 (metro Parc), Mon-Fri 9am-12:30pm and 1:30-5:00pm.

Le Regroupement des comités logements et associations de locataires du Québec is an umbrella organization that can inform you of the Comité de logement closest to you. Each Comité offers information and advice on how to deal with housing problems such as discrimination, insects and unreasonable rent increases. Call 521-7114 to get the local member group closest to you.

Arnold Bennett's Housing Hotline Bennett's name has become synonymous with tenants' rights in Montreal. His Tenants' Advisory Clinic is every Sat, 11am, at 5584A Sherbrooke W., Sun at 11am at the downtown YMCA (1450 Stanley). Also every Wed 3:30-6:30pm at the Westmount YMCA, (4585 Sherbrooke W.). Hotline: 488-0412/990-0190.

Other housing groups

Project Genesis A community activist group focusing on housing issues, particularly in Cote-des-Neiges. Offers services in English, French, Spanish, Mandarin, Russian, Arabic, German, Greek, Italian, Dutch and Yiddish. Mon-Wed 9am-5pm, Thur 9am-7pm, Fri 9am-3pm. 738-2036, 5940 Victoria (metro Plamondon).

L'OEIL de Cote-des-Neiges Advice on landlord-tenant disputes and issues. Open on a walk-in basis Mon 9:30am-12pm, Wed 9:30am-12pm and 2-5pm, Fri 9:30am-12pm, or call for appointment. 3600 Barclay, #344 (metro Cote-des-Nieges then take 165 or 535 bus north to Barclay.), 738-0101.

NDG Community Council Landlord-tenant advice. Mon-Fri 9am-12:30pm and 1:30-5:00pm. 6580 Sherbrooke W., 484-1471.

Other useful numbers

City of Montreal Public Works Department provides information about garbage collection, recycling, sidewalk repairs, information on drinking water and a schedule of collection of dangerous materials. 872-3434

Tandem Montreal is a city-run crime-prevention service that sets up neighbourhood-watch programs and offers information and advice on home security. Call 872-6155 to find the one nearest you.

Access Montreal Store-front bureaucracy! Basically an agency set up by the city to allow Montreal residents to take care of business like paying taxes or tickets without going all the way down to City Hall. The telephone information service is 24/7, and gives the addresses of their 13 offices and info on other available services. The Access Montreal membership card costs a fiver and entitles you discounts on both city and partner services--from tennis court rental to Place des Arts tickets. You need to prove you're a Montreal resident to get one. 872-1111

Communications Quebec Phone numbers for Government of Quebec services, departments and staff. 873-2111

Reference Canada Toll-free info service giving names and office numbers of Government of Canada employees, services and departments. 1-800-622-6232



WORKING IN MONTREAL

Finding a job

Once a near-hopeless task, finding a job in town has become much easier over the last few years. But those who don't speak French can still have a tough time. Jobs in phone sales are popular with students and Montreal has no shortage of telemarketing positions up for grabs. But a lot of them are carefully disguised commission-only sales gigs. Most newspapers now put their job ads on the Web for all to see, which relieves the job searcher of a bit of leg work. But it's wise to check in every few days at the local Canada Employment Centre. Call 496-1161 for locations or to speak to someone about employment insurance or a SIN card. Posted listings and computerized job bank machines are available at each of the CEC locations.

Many other listings--as well as employment and training programs--are administered provincially. Call Emploi Québec at 1-888-367-5647.

McGill Career and Placement Service Job service for McGill students. Job listings are only available on their Web site, but they have numerous programs based at their office including free computer use for Internet access and CV creation. Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, 3600 McTavish, #2200, 398-3304. www.mcgill.ca/stuserv/caps

Youth Employment Service Started by Alliance Québec, this group caters specifically to anglophones, usually between 18-35, looking for jobs. Besides the job search, they offer an entrepreneurial program. 630 René-Lévesque, #185, 878-9788.

Keeping a Job

Commission des normes du travail Provincial office which makes sure employment laws are observed. For information on vacation pay, salaries, wrongful dismissal. 873-7061/873-4947

Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CSST) is the Quebec equivalent of the Worker's Compensation Board. As the provincial agency mandated to improve health and safety in the workplace, it provides compensation and investigation for work accidents and parental-leave benefits. 1 Complexe Desjardins, 34th fl., 873-3990.

Action travail des femmes Resources and support for women workers in non-traditional jobs. 4706 Wellington, Verdun, 768-7233.

Centre d'aide aux travailleurs et travailleuses accidenté(e)s de Montréal lobbies the government for better labour laws and provides aid for injured workers. The Centre d'aide also deals directly with the public through education, information sessions and consultations on workplace safety and labour laws. It also helps claimants at CSST hearings, distributes newsletters and pamphlets. 3661 St-Hubert, 529-7942.

Union des travailleurs/euses accidenté(e)s de Montréal Information sessions on workplace safety to both unionized and non-unionized workers. Offers help in CSST cases. 4533 de Lorimier, 527-3661.

Welfare/EI

If you are a student and wish to apply for welfare or employment insurance, it is a good idea to consult with one of the following groups before contacting a government office.



Comité chomage de l'est de Montréal Information on unemployment and welfare laws as well as free legal representation. 1691 Pie-IX, #302, 521-3283.

Comité chomage Sud-Ouest publishes a guide to employment insurance in English, French and Spanish. 819 du Couvent, 933-5915.

Mile-End Community Mission Welfare rights info, advocacy and referrals. They'll also help you fill out applications. Call first. 99 Bernard W., 274-3401.

Mouvement d'action chomage Informs you of your rights while receiving EI benefits. Weekly information meetings. 6839 Drolet, #304, 271-4099.

NDG Anti-Poverty Group Welfare advocacy and networking. 6525 Somerled, #7, 489-3548.

St. Columba House Welfare Rights Committee Run by and for people who are either on welfare or have been. Info and advocacy services. 2365 Grand Trunk, 932-6202.

Association pour la défense des droits sociaux A politically oriented group that will advise and assist individuals. 770 Rachel E.,

252-0788.

Centre sociale d'aide aux immigrants Helps immigrants with welfare, EI and other issues. 4285 de Maisonneuve W., 932-2953.

Welfare Hotline Social-aid info and complaints line run by Québec government. 1-888-643-4721

CV copy centres

Don't go a-hunting without a snappy resumé. If you can't find a friend who isn't graphically inept, then you might consider paying a résumé service to put it all together. The Bakos Group, along with 24-hour service, will rewrite your CV, free of charge if their product doesn't land you a job. Fax 1-800-370-6641, call 1-800-370-5627, surf www.bakosgroup.com or e-mail resume@bakosgroup.com.

If you want to do it yourself and you can't get time in the computer lab at school, the Atwater Library provides on-site rental of computers and printers--perfect for putting together your CV. Prices for non-members are $8.50/hr for general use or $3/hr for Internet. For members it's $4.25 and $1.50 respectively. 1200 Atwater (metro Atwater), 935-7344.

Copies Ressources has everything you need to make a document or CV look great, including Mac services by the hour. They can laserprint from your disk in most formats, and fax out a copy as well. 3822 St-Laurent, 982-9435. There are also several other good copy centres on St-Laurent between des Pins and Rachel. M.C. Copy provides 24/7 copy services and computer use right by Concordia's downtown campus. 2019 Bishop, 842-6817. Copie 2000 has two locations which rent computer time as well, at 5041 Parc, 277-2000 or 1115 Sherbrooke W., 845-8229. Students will be familiar with either Copies Nova (1015 Sherbrooke W., 844-5910) or Copies Concordia (1520 de Maisonneuve E., 931-3063), and Copie Express has several locations around Montreal, which include: 680 Sherbrooke W., 288-0288; 945 de Maisonneuve E., 526-0057. Those sequestered in the west can try Envoy Services d'Affaires at 5764 Monkland, 483-6869.





GETTING AROUND IN MONTREAL

Transportation

Montreal is a fairly easy city to navigate and, with an extensive transportation system, it's manageable even in the depths of winter. There are hundreds of kilometres of bike paths crossing the city, and bus and metro lines covering most of the island and beyond.

STCUM

Our bus and metro system costs a twoonie per ride. It also now offers a Mon-Sun pass at $12.50. The strip of six tickets ($8.25) is still the budget option, but if you commute every other day or more, a $47 monthly pass works out cheapest. These can be bought at any station. For other information, dial A-U-T-O-B-U-S (288-6287), and to know when a bus is coming before running out to catch it, dial the number on your bus stop sign. The phone service is often subject to agonizingly long delays, so a better bet for schedule info might be the STCUM's award-winning Web site, at www.stcum.qc.ca.

Planes

Dorval and Mirabel Airports If you are beginning your journey from downtown Montreal, airport shuttle buses cost much less than a taxi, which can cost $25 to Dorval or $50+ to Mirabel. For Dorval, buses leave every 20 mins from 7am-11pm (on the hour, and 20 and 40 minutes after the hour) from the Station Centrale (505 de Maisonneuve E., 842-2281). The trip to Dorval costs $11 one way or $19.75 for the round-trip; the Mirabel bus--which leaves only from the Station Centrale--costs $18 one way or $25 for the round-trip. Mirabel schedules are complicated so call for info.

Trains

VIA Rail An international student identification card (ISIC) will get you a 40 per cent discount off regular prices for destinations in Canada. A regular student I.D. will not get you any discount on Via Rail. But anybody will get 30 per cent off regular fares for a return trip, and 20 per cent off a one-way trip, if they book at least six days in advance, provided economy seats are still available. Central Station (metro Bonaventure), 989-2626, www.viarail.ca.

Buses

Bus lines are less expensive than taking a plane or train, though a round-trip ticket to T.O. costs about $100, with the standard student discount (ISIC card not required) of 25 per cent. A 25 per cent discount is also available for many trips to the U.S. and Western Canada. Buses leave from the Station Centrale (metro Berri). Call 842-2281 for schedules and prices.

Automobiles

Driveaway Call three or four days before you want to leave for a distant destination, and they just might have someone else's car for you to drive. The trips are usually one-way and destinations are more often westward. But all you pay is a refundable deposit and gas, which differs depending on the car. Know when you want to go before you call. 345 Victoria, 489-3861.

Allo Stop A carpool organization that matches riders with drivers at cheap rates. It costs $6 a year to become a member as a rider--plus a small variable fee for each trip, which is paid to the driver. Joining as a driver costs $7. The service now offers trips only within Quebec and the maritime provinces. 4317 St-Denis, 985-3032.

CommunAuto This car-sharing service can help if you're the type who can't afford a car, but needs one now and again at lower-than-rental rates. Based in the Plateau, they have about 60 cars to share for errands, day trips or short holidays. A $500 refundable deposit is the big initial expense, but you're charged just $1.50-$2 per hour for trips within the city (max $15-$20 per day) plus a few cents per kilometre. Call for more info or to set up a meeting to become a member. 842-4545

Cycling

If you have a bike, chances are you'll find it one of the handier modes of transportation in Montreal. For one, it'll save you bus/metro fare and cut your walking time by hours. It's also a great way to violate the highway code with impunity. Below are some of the places to go for new or used bikes, and you'll find a few places that do cheap tune-ups and even store your bike for the winter months.

ABC Cycle and Sports Upscale shop that's been around since 1932. Pricey, but they do have top-of-the-line equipment. 5584 Parc (corner St-Viateur), 276-1305.

Bicycletterie JR Cyclery Repairs, parts and accessories In the heart of the Plateau: they provide storage space for your bike for $5/month. Specials for students. 151 Rachel E., 843-6989.

La Cordée Staying true to its camping/outdoor image, this store specializes in mountain, hybrid and touring bikes. No student discounts, but a spring tune-up will only set you back $30. 2159 Ste-Catherine E., 524-1106.

Cycle Pop The people's bike shop. Buys and sells used bikes. Cheap repairs (max $24/hr) and 10 per cent student discounts. For $35 you get a complete tune-up. Also offer bike storage. Offers sessions in "spinning"--indoor bicycling with your bike on special rollers--for $10 a session. 1000 Rachel E., 526-2525.

Right to Move A working group of Concordia QPIRG, RTM provides "Learn to Fix a Bicycle" workshops to the general public. Workshops are free, but the organization gratefully accepts donations. Volunteers are on-hand to help you fix your bike on the spot. Info 924-1047, e-mail rtm@pirg.ca, http://concordia. pirg.ca/~rtm.



EATING IN MONTREAL

Markets

Fresh produce is never far off. Four markets in Montreal give farmers a chance to sell their stock: home-grown fruit, veggies as well as local cheeses, meat and fish. It can be a little pricey, but the quality is excellent. Marché Atwater 138 Atwater (metro Lionel-Groulx), Marché Jean-Talon (probably the best single grocery shopping experience in the city) 7075 Casgrain (metro Jean-Talon), Marché Maisonneuve 4445 Ontario E. (metro Pie-IX) and Marché Saint-Jacques 1125 Ontario E. (metro Berri). Official hours are Mon-Wed 8am-6pm, Thu-Fri 8am-9pm, weekends 8am-5pm, although some farm-stalls may open earlier. The markets are open year-round, but Marché Saint-Jacques only sells flowers and plants during the winter.

Ethnic foods

There's no sense in alternating between Kraft Dinner and burgers all year in a city so abundantly stocked in the foods of the world. And though it would be nice, you can't possibly eat out every day. Success lies in finding the right ingredients which, in Montreal, simply means knowing which area to shop in.

Chinatown is an obvious place to start when looking for Oriental goods; there are countless groceries and speciality shops between Viger, St-Denis, René-Lévesque and St-Urbain, and you can even try out ginseng and other 2,000-year-old herbal treatments. Authentic Japanese products can be found at Miyamoto, 382 Victoria (481-1952).

If you're looking for the real Italian thing, then a trip to Little Italy (métro Jean-Talon) is in order. Many groceries, butchers and cheese shops can be found along St-Laurent a few blocks south of Jean-Talon, with plenty of places to stop for an espresso along the way. Italian grocery Latina (185 St-Viateur W., 273-6561) is slightly closer to downtown and is a lovely, if high-end, place to shop. For the more mobile shoppers, the National Cheese Factory Outlet, sells meats and olive oil as well as a huge selection of cheeses, but is only open to the public on Sat. 9001 Salley, LaSalle, 364-5353.

From about Fairmount toward the north, the Mile-End district is loaded with great restos, cafés and groceries. St-Viateur packs restaurants, plus several groceries, cafés and empanada outlets like Barros Luco (204 St-Viateur W., 273-7203), into the five-block stretch between the Main and Parc. Though you'll find a taste of every culture up and down these blocks, the area has an increasingly Latin feel. Get your fresh tortillas, nachos and chipotles at Tortilleria Maya (5274 St-Laurent, 495-0606). It all makes the neighbourhood a relaxing alternative to the well-stocked but crowded strip of St-Laurent between des Pins and Mont-Royal. But in that strip, two places of note are Boulangerie St-Laurent (845-4536), and old-style East European style bakery with amazing fresh bread; La Vieille Europe (842-5773), a lively and affordable delicatessen, cheese shop and speciality store.

One of Mile-End's favourite café/deli/bakeries is Navarino, at 5563 Parc, 279-7725. They sell great baklava, as well as croissants, sandwiches and filling, nutritious salads.

Other speciality food stores include Les Aliments Exotiques (6695 Victoria, 733-7577) for West Indian products, Adonis (9590 l'Acadie, 382-8606) is a good bet for Middle Eastern fare, and don't try going to either Kosher City (4765 Van Horne, 733-2838) or the Kosher Quality Bakery (5855 Victoria, 731-7883) after sundown on Friday or before sundown on Saturday. You can find the world "pour emporter" at Le Faubourg in the heart of downtown. 1616 Ste-Catherine W., 939-3663. Across the street is Marché Almanar specializing in East Indian foodstuffs. 1631 St-Catherine W., 938-8533. The Loblaws super-supermarket at the top of Parc (375 Jean-Talon W., 948-2600) is open until 9pm on weekdays and 5pm on weekends. P.A. Super Marché has recently expanded, stays open to 11pm nightly and offers free delivery within the neighbourhood if your grocery load is too heavy to carry (5029 Parc, 273-8782).

Late-night groceries

4 Brothers Late-night hunger has met its match--leave the club and head straight there. Food of all shapes, sizes and colours await. Open 24/7. Corners Guilbault & St-Laurent. 844-1874

Provigo A late-night grocery to satisfy the most monstrous munchie sufferers. Open 8am-2am daily. 1953 Ste-Catherine W., 932-3756; or their other location open until midnight at 3421 Parc, 281-0488.

Cheap eats

Another Montreal blessing is the fact that it's not hard to get fed for less than a tenner. This, plus the great selection of ethnic restaurants, means even those on a modest budget can afford a good sit-down meal now and again.

For those budgeteers who can't be bothered to cook at all, we suggest Simon Dardick and Nancy Marrelli's book Cheap Thrills, published by Véhicule Press. Inside, you'll find nearly 100 listings of Montreal restos where you can eat for under $10.

The following list of restaurants is by no means inclusive, and gives preference to those in or near student neighbourhoods.

Amazona Family-style Greek place with great prices and better food. Among the best tzatziki in town. Not to be confused with other Amazonas. 5525 Cote-St-Luc, 484-2612.

Amelio's An institution in the McGill Ghetto for 25 years. Their specialities are pizza and pastas served in generous portions in comfortable surroundings, and at student-friendly prices. 201 Milton, 845-8396.

Basha A Montreal centre for shawarma, falafel and shish taouk long before these foods became trendy. There are three locations on Ste-Catherine in the downtown core. The best is their flagship location at 930 Ste-Catherine W. across from the Paramount Cinema.

Binerie Mont-Royale 1940s-style diner where you can eat like a lumberjack. Very small place with cheap, homey, meaty food. 367 Mont-Royal E., 285-9078.

Boustan Notable falafel two steps from Concordia. 2020A Crescent, 843-3576.

Café Electra Cozy Italian panini place where the delicious sandwiches are with fresh ingredients and prepared with great care. 24 Pins E., 288-0853.

Café Presto Offers homestyle Italian cooking in heart of downtown, which is a rarity. Great prices. 1244 Stanley, 879-5877.

Café Santropol Unique setting, ideal for reading, writing term papers or procrastinating. Filling sandwiches with exotic ingredients and hearty soups. Beautiful garden in back when the weather's nice. One percent of all profits goes to charity. 3990 St-Urbain, 842-3110.

Chez Gasté Montreal's only Tibetan restaurant offers exotic food from the "Roof of the World," at low-altitude prices. 317 Ontario E., 985-2494.

Cosmos A noisy, friendly greasy spoon specializing in crude but effective mega-calorie breakfasts. 5843 Sherbrooke W., 486-3814.

Cristal de Saigon This Vietnamese diner is often packed with an assortment of local Chinatown residents and visitors. Disarmingly inexpensive, the meal-sized Tonkinoise soups contain all the necessary life-sustaining ingredients. 1068 St-Laurent, 875-4275.

Le Faubourg Technically speaking it's a mall, but their international 3rd floor food-court has a few gems, including Bangkok, a Thai delight, and Bedouin's House, which offers North African food. (see Ethnic foods for address)

Golden Curry House This strip of upper-St-Laurent is peppered with Indian joints. This one stands out with their wide selection and authentic styles. 5210 St-Laurent, 270-2561.

Jardin du Cari Simple East and West Indian menu is not extensive but offers some delicious bargains. Try the rotis and potato balls. 21 St-Viateur W., 495-0565.

Just Noodles New addition to the local scene, this noodle emporium lets you watch your food being prepared. The price is right and the food's always fresh. 2061 Ste-Catherine W., 989-5826; 355 Bernard W., 274-7452; and 3711 St-Laurent, 288-9593.

Kilo Resto A nice place to meet and eat, especially if you like coffee and decadent desserts. 5206 St-Laurent (277-5039), 1495 Ste-Catherine E. (596-3933).

Mazurka Like having a home-cooked meal prepared by Polish relatives. This family-run restaurant has been around since the '60s. The $5.75 special ($6.25 on weekends) is a real bargain. 64 Prince-Arthur E., 844-3539.

La Paryse Enjoy one of the best burgers (veggie and beef) in town, in comfortable neo-retro surroundings. 302 Ontario E., 842-2040.

Sara Well-placed falafel spot, après club or on the run. 4495 St-Laurent, 843-9014.

Schwartz's Legendary. The Mirror's Best of Montreal pick for best smoked meat almost every year. The tables are crammed together, the waiters are often surly and lineups aren't uncommon, but regulars will swear it's all worth it. 3895 St-Laurent, 842-4813.

Soups & Noodles Would civilization be what it is without Asian-style noodle shops? Good, cheap eats in a hurry. Take-out too. 1871 Ste-Catherine W., 933-0531.

Titanic If you're in Vieux Montréal, try this lunchroom sandwicherie for tasty concoctions and the cooler-than-cool staff. Free delivery within the cobbled quartier. 445 St-Pierre, 849-0894.

Wilensky's Light Lunch Where Mordecai Richler hung out as a kid. This 60-year-old institution is famous for its hand-pumped sodas, rickety wooden stools, and "the Special." Closes early and is never open on the weekend. 34 Fairmount W., 271-0247.

Vegetarian restos

Cafe les Entretiens A small café that has a large menu with a variety of salads and a table d'hote every day. 1577 Laurier E. (Near Papineau), 521-2934.

Chu Chai An all-vegetarian Thai restaurant with no shortage or mock meat and straight veggie dishes to choose from. 4088 St-Denis, 843-4194.

Faim du Monde Vegetarian diner. 300 Duluth E., 281-9825.

Le Commensal A tasty variety of foods, but be aware that you will pay for it by the gram. 1720 St-Denis, 845-2627; 1204 McGill College, 871-1480; 3715 Queen Mary,733-9755; and six other locations.

Les Vivres Leisuerly organic vegan restaurant with specialities like mock bacon, mock lox and home-made chapatis. 4434 St-Dominique, 842-3479.

Pushap Exotic Indian fare including lotus root and great Indian deserts made on-site. 5195 Paré (Namur metro), 737-4527. Also at 11991 Gouin W., 683-0556.

Végé-Deli Sandwiches, salads. 845 Ste-Catherine E, 287-3564.

Health food stores

À votre santé As well-stocked as any good grocery, except most of it's organic. 5126 Sherbrooke W., 482-8233.

Club Organic Specializes in organically raised vegetables, some meats, and sells bulk foods. 4341 Frontenac, 523-0223.

Fleur Sauvage Also has cosmetics, supplements, herbs. 5561 Monkland, 482-5193.

Frenco Bulk food with vitamins, herbs and spices and some organic foods. 3985 St-Laurent, 285-1319.

Health Tree A well-stocked chain with lots of supplements and cosmetics to pick and choose from. 7133 Cote-St-Luc, 484-1690.

Kilo-Naturel A stocked grocery with hard-to-find ingredients. They also have an in-house naturopath! 201 St-Viateur W., 278-3377.

Le Frigo Vert A non-profit health food store operated by Concordia boasts the lowest prices on health foods and organic produce in town. A $15 membership fee applies for non-Concordia students. 2130 Mackay, 848-7586.

Optimum 630 Sherbrooke W (845-1015), also runs an organic-friendly restaurant around the corner at 2090 Union.

Rachelle-Béry Best tofu selection this side of Chinatown. Organic foods, cosmetics and vitamins. 505 Rachel E., 727-9300; 2510 Beaubien E., 727-2327; 1366 Ontario E., 525-2215; 4660 St-Laurent, 849-4118; 895 de la Gauchetiere W., 875-5611.

Tau Carries a lot of rare and hard-to-find organic produce. Also has a great selection of cold drinks. 4238 St-Denis, 843-4420.

Teva 5143 Décarie, 486-5542.

Study-friendly cafés

Café Ciné Lumière Way up the Main, but a relaxed place where you can watch silent classics every evening for free. 5163 St-Laurent, 495-1796.

Café Vienne Café Vienne has 11 other outlets on the island, many within other student areas. This one near Concordia has student specials and a sunny terrasse when the weather permits. Smoking. 7am-8pm, 6pm on weekends. 2155 Guy, 932-4832.

Ciné Express Whether you need coffee around the clock, a place to screen the film you made in school or just somewhere to watch the Simpsons between classes, Ciné Express is the place. Frequently hosts art exhibitions and stand-up comedy, and they show a movie every night. They have chess and backgammon boards. Licensed, with student specials. Smoking. Open 24/7. 1926 Ste-Catherine W., 939-CINE.

Croissant Royal Drop in late and stare menacingly at the non-smokers across the street. A good place to just watch the teeming mass of the Main go by or grab a snack at the food counter which supplies more than your average café fare. 3685 St-Laurent, 288-9515.

Open Da Night Great coffee, and more Ray Bans and Gauloises than a cheap French movie. This laid-back neighbourhood hangout opens early and closes when the last person leaves. 124 St-Viateur W., 495-0746.

Second Cup Unlike the above, Second Cup enforces a strict no-smoking policy, with a few exceptions made for Montreal's sizeable smoking population; namely the 24-hour café in the McGill Ghetto, which has a lot of terrasse space that transforms itself into a heated smoking section in the winter months. 3498 Parc, 288-2903.

Tim Horton There are two Tim Hortons locations downtown, both within a two-block radius. This location has been so successful that an adjoining store was bought out to furnish a separate dining room, this one for the non-smokers. A load of newspapers are free for perusing in each of the rooms. 24/7. 2081 Guy, 935-1942.

Cybercafés

Unfortunately for the technologically deprived, the number of these places has dropped dramatically. With computer prices dropping, and the idea that everyone should have a home computer on the rise, only the strong cybercafés will survive.

Le Café Electronique This establishment offers a large selection of French food, soups and salads, along with 40 on-line computers. Net access is $8.80/hr, $5.50/1/2 hr. 1425 René-Lévesque W. (corner Bishop), 871-0307.

Cyberground Café Internet While the hardware features network multi-player games and time to rent on word-processors as well as Photoshop and CorelDraw, Telnet and newsgroup access. 21" and 17" screens. Basic $8/hr rate or a four-hour block costs $24.95. 3672 St-Laurent, 842-1726.

Network Café Choose from bagels, sandwiches, muffins and a huge selection of coffee at this trendy café. Great for dessert. Internet access costs $8.00/hr, or buy a card for $30 for five hours, or $200 for 50 hours. The computers are quality. 5120 Queen Mary, 344-0959.

All-night & late-night eats

Arahova Souvlaki A plethora of tasty Greek delights in simple surroundings. These two locations have different owners. Open until 2am Sun-Thu, until 5am Fri-Sat 256 St-Viateur W., 274-7828; 1425 Crescent, 499-0262.

Café Souvenir Eclectic neighbourhood bistro menu. Breakfast served all the time. Open 24 hours Fri-Sat; until 12am Sun-Thu. 1261 Bernard W., 948-5259.

Chez Claudette Diner food with vegetarian touches. Open 24/7. They serve breakfast all day and have a selection of freshly squeezed juice drinks. 351 Laurier E., 279-5173.

La Banquise Poutine heaven, open 24/7. 994 Rachel E., 525-2415.

Club Sandwich Open 24 hours, with selection of poutine and, you guessed it, speciality sandwiches.1578 Ste-Catherine E., 523-4679.

Euro Deli offers good, cheap, Italian-style eats for the hipster crowd. Open Mon-Wed 8:30-2am, Thu-Fri from 8:30am-4am, Sat 9-4am, Sun 10-4am. 3619 St-Laurent, 843-7853. Shorter hours at the downtown location (1206 Peel, 878-3354).

Ben's A mainstay of late-night eateries, where the all-night crowd used to wait for the morning papers to read the racing results. Smoked meat, photos of stars who visited and even poetry on occasions. Open Sun-Wed 7:30-2am, Thu 7:30-3am, Fri-Sat 7:30-4am. 990 de Maisonneuve W., 844-1000.

The Main Good smoked meat, blintzes and latkes, or breakfast depending on your mood. Open Sun-Thu 10-5am, Fri-Sat 10-5:30am. 3864 St-Laurent, 843-8126

Picasso offers classic diner fare 24/7. 6810 St-Jacques, 484-2832 (see Delivery eats).

Green Spot Classic casse-croùte fare in the liveliest part of St-Henri. Open 5am-midnight Mon-Thu, 24 hours on weekends. 3041 Notre-Dame W., 931-6473.



SHOPPING IN MONTREAL

Low-budget clothes

Avenue du Mont-Royal Frip out! The blocks on this street between St-Laurent and St-Denis are lined with second-hand stores. Stock varies wildly, so it's hard to recommend one shop over another. But as the strip's popularity rises, so do the prices.

Chabanel Street Just north of the Métropolitain between St-Laurent and Parc is schmataland. Montreal still has a large textile industry, most of which is located in this district. Here you'll find factory outlets that sell to the public directly, but only on Sat mornings.

Eva B. A great selection of leather and women's clothing, much of which is made on-site. For the theatrically minded, they also rent costumes at reasonable rates. 2013 St-Laurent, 849-8246. Costume shop visits require an appointment.

Friperie St-Laurent Second-hand clothing boutique with great '40s ties and other treats. 3976 St-Laurent, 842-3893

Le Château Warehouse All the stuff you saw in the regular outlets that didn't sell. They slash the prices. 5255 Jean-Talon W., 341-5301.

Les Glaneuses Discount clothes, furniture and jewellery. 3944 Jeanne-d'Arc, 523-0202

Renaissance Montreal Used clothing and furniture. 7250 St-Laurent, 276-3626.

Twist Encore! A winner in the Mirror's BOM! survey, meaning people seem to like it, so why not take a look? 3972 St-Laurent, 842-1308.

An institution for Montrealers on a budget, Village des Valeurs has five locations in the greater Montreal area, and stock is not limited to clothing. Don't just go to the store closest to downtown--it'll be the most picked-over. 4906 Jean-Talon W. (metro Namur), 739-1962. 6779 Jean-Talon E. (metro Langelier to connecting Northbound bus), 254-0433; 2033 Pie-IX, 528-8604; 7401 Newman, 595-8101; 5630 Henri-Bourassa (corner Lacordaire), 327-7447.

Low-budget Furniture

Ameublements Cote-des-Neiges All kinds of new furniture and appliances. 6238 Cote-des-Neiges, 344-3272.

City of Montreal Public Auctions Call for the schedules and details. 969 Louvain E., 872-2340.

Duvet Ungava Good selection and prices for futons and duvets. 10 des Pins W., ground floor, 287-9276.

Ikea Hard to get to without a car (it's a good idea to call their switchboard for detailed directions before setting out), but quality do-it-yourself furniture at moderate prices awaits. 9191 Cavendish, 738-2167.

Salvation Army Used furniture and a wicked array of clothes and household goods at insanely low prices. Get everything you need, and the cash goes to a good cause. 1620 Notre Dame W, 935-7425; 4890 Jean-Talon W., 738-1796; 5762 Sherbrooke W., 488-8714.

Books

Abya-Yala Librairie des Amériques Loads of books and info on Latin America are hoarded away in this little textual cave. 4555 St-Laurent, 849-4908.

Academic and General Book Shop New and used books on a range of topics, and what they don't have, they can order. 385 Sherbrooke W., 849-3833.

L'Androgyne Montreal's major Queer book store offers lit, non-fiction, smut and great mags. 3636 St-Laurent, 842-4765.

Argo Mr. George, the proprietor, is friendly, helpful and interesting. His collection is a little eclectic, but if you're in a bind he will come to the rescue. 1915 Ste-Catherine W., 931-3442.

Bella Shares a shop with Mojo (see CDs/Records), specializing in obscure fiction, comics, and other arty books. 3968 St-Laurent, 282-7730.

Chapters Three huge floors of books, magazines and the only downtown Starbucks café. Occasional launches and signings. Open late. 1171 Ste-Catherine W., 849-8825.

Diamond Bookstore When Russell Books gave way to the new Palais des Congrès, these folks picked up a bit of the stock. Second-hand, remaindered and rare stock. 5035 Sherbrooke W., 481-3000.

Double Hook Canadian Books Canadian literature is this store's speciality; occasionally hosts readings. 1235a Greene, 932-5093.

L'Echange Buy and sell books (mostly francophone) as well as music and comics. 713 Mont-Royal E., 523-6389.

L'Echange St-Denis As above, but at 3694 St-Denis. 849-1913.

Gallimard Francophone highbrow, the kind of place you'll see photos of Kundera or Sartre in the front window. 3700 St-Laurent, 499-2012.

Indigo As they say, it's "books, music and café." The latest addition to the bookstore/reading room craze sweeping the world. Second, smaller location opened by the Loblaws at Parc & Jean-Talon (metro Parc). The store at McGill College & Ste-Catherine is well-stocked, roomy, and open to 11pm nightly. 281-5549

Librairie Allemande German bookstore has everything from children's novels to biographies. 3488A Cote-des-Neiges, 933-1919.

Librairie Alternative Bookstore Collectively run bookstore offering books and magazines on alternative media, environment, animal rights, labour, anarchy, feminism, sexuality and queer literature. 2035 St-Laurent, 2nd fl., 844-3207.

Librairie Astro Used books, comics and trading cards. 1844 Ste-Catherine W., 932-1139.

Librairie Italiana Italian books, magazines, video rentals and records. 6792 St-Laurent, 277-2955.

Librairie Las Americas Spanish books. 10 St-Norbert (off St-Laurent just below Sherbrooke), 844-5994.

Librairie Michel Fortin Inc. Specializes in language books, but also serves as a general bookstore. 3714 St-Denis, 849-5719.

McGill Bookstore A comprehensive selection and more McGill paraphernalia than one could ever need, with a cybercafé upstairs. Closed Sun. 3420 McTavish, 398-7444.

Middle East Bookstore Specializes in books from the Arab world. 877 Décarie, 744-4886.

Mélange Magique Metaphysical, holistic and occult books. They also carry incense and crystals. 1928 Ste-Catherine W., 938-1458.

Nicholas Hoare Highbrow champions of bookstore feng shui. Also sell CDs. Ogilvy basement, 1307 Ste-Catherine W., 499-2005; 1366 Greene, 933-4201.

Paragraphe Good selection of new books, including a great children's section; if it's not in stock, they'll order it for you. Attached to a Second Cup. 2220 McGill College, 845-5811.

Stage Theatre Bookshop Great selection of theatre, film, music, dance and visual arts books. 2123 Ste-Catherine W., 931-7466.

S.W. Welch Used and rare books bought and sold; good prices offered for used books. Will make house calls, but they can be picky about what they take. 3878 St-Laurent, 848-9358.

Ulysses Excellent selection of travel books, guides and maps at several locations: 560 President-Kennedy, 843-7222; 4176 St-Denis, 843-9447.

Vortex Mostly used books, but the owners take great care to make sure they're in the best condition. A lot of rare and first-edition stock. Name your subject. 1855 Ste-Catherine W., 935-7869.

The Word Buys and sells art, philosophy and literature books, and has all of last year's McGill textbooks. Voted best used bookstore in this year's Best of Montreal poll. 469 Milton, 845-5640.

Magazines/Newspapers

Au Tabasoir Sturdy selection, and a good film rack. Loud opera music makes this place a strange oasis. Across from métro Mont-Royal. 425 Mont-Royal E., 845-5727.

Maison de la presse internationale A great selection of up-to-date newspapers and magazines from around the world. Found all over the city: 550 Ste-Catherine E. (842-3857); 1393 Ste-Catherine W. (844-4508); and 1645 Ste-Catherine W. (837-6612).

Medi@phile Independent newsstand with excellent selection of international newspapers and magazines, as well as gifts, greeting cards and cigars. Will do special orders. 1901 Ste-Catherine W., 939-3676.

Metropolitan News Agency The place is tucked away, the shop is small and messy, but they have just about any newspaper and lots of foreign-language magazines. 1109 Cypress (south of Ste-Catherine near Peel), 866-9227.

Multimags Magazines and newspapers from all over the globe, all over Montreal: 1570 de Maisonneuve W. (935-7044); 5236 Queen-Mary (489-4495); 352 Ste-Catherine W. (866-5081); 2085 Ste-Catherine W. (937-0474); and 3552 St-Laurent (287-7355).

Point Vert Strong on artsy mags, zines, design & music. May have titles the others don't. 4040 St-Laurent, 982-9195.

CDs/Records

Archambault A huge selection of CDs, from classical, jazz and world to francophone, rock and pop. 500 Ste-Catherine E., 849-6201.

BPM DJ store with variety of dance music. Techno, house, R&B, reggae on vinyl and CD. 1154 Ste-Catherine E., 527-5912.

CD Plus Second-hand CDs tucked away on Parc. 5128 Parc, 273-1088.

C'Dement Mostly used, and some new & rare stuff. Very good prices. 388 Ste-Catherine W., 866-7616.

Cheap Thrills New and used CDs, as well as used books. 2044 Metcalfe, 844-8988.

Clair Obscur All the industrial, techno and ambient to feed your dark side. 162A Mont-Royal E., 842-0866.

Disquivel New and second-hand vinyl and CDs. Covers everything, especially electronic music. 1587 St-Laurent, 842-1607.

DNA, Science, Moog Audio Techno/drum & bass, hip hop and sound equipment. Three stores come together under one roof, making it the place come to for all your urban music and the stuff that makes it loud. 28 des Pins E., 284-7434.

L'Echange A great selection of used vinyl, CDs and old K7s. 713 Mont-Royal E., 523-6389.

L'Echange St-Denis As above, but at 3694 St-Denis. 849-1913.

Fox-Troc Popular music. 819 Mont-Royal E., 521-9856.

HMV You'll have to forge past the Top-40 display units at the front to get to the CDs, but the selection is good for all tastes. Many locations, but there's a generous return policy at 1020 Ste-Catherine W., 875-0765.

InBeat Specializing in house and techno on vinyl. A great start for club DJs. 3814 St-Laurent, 499-2063.

In Side Another techno-oriented shop in the basement of the clothing store Aritmetik. 2011 St-Denis, 844-8519.

L'Oblique A touchstone for francophone musicians and scenesters looking to upgrade their collection with new, used, imported and rare discs. 4333 Rivard, 499-1323.

Le Pick-Up Buys and sells everything from CDs and 45"s to vintage magazines and posters. 4383 St-Denis, 287-9484.

Marché du disque Cheap vinyl, and a great selection of CDs from soundtracks to rockabilly to exotica. 793 Mont-Royal E., 526-3575.

Mars The store is like a spooky attic, but has some finds. Also posters, magazines etc. 537A Ste-Catherine W., 844-4329 .

Mojo Rare vinyl re-issues with emphasis on jazz. Also funk, pop, groovy soundtracks, and a used CD rack. 3968 St-Laurent, 282-7730.

Musicworld Caters to the popular in us all. In the Eaton Centre, 286-3779.

Musik Hall Second-hand and new CDs with a wide array of genres to choose from. They'll buy your old stuff. 4511 St-Denis, 842-7146.

Noize Their digs on the Main offer a rich collection of new and used discs and vinyl, many musical genres. 3697 St-Laurent., 985-9989.

Phantasmagoria Alternative, classical and jazz specialist, has some hidden treasures. 4914 Sherbrooke W., 488-2004 and Place Versailles, 355-1474.

Primitive Second-hand CDs, tapes and records. Great prices. 3830 St-Denis, 845-6017.

Rayon Laser Another place to buy and sell CDs and, with an annual membership, you can rent from a limited selection of titles. 3656 St-Laurent, 848-6300.

Ricochet New garage, mod, punk, as well as collectibles and rare vinyl. 372 Ste-Catherine W., #105, 393-6410.

Sam the Record Man Same ol' Sam's, plus new section for gamers upstairs. 399 Ste-Catherine W., 281-9877.

Stomp Ska & garage rock, plus a selection of mod clothes. 78 Rachel E., 842-5887.

Tabou International DJ Shop The city's HQ for club DJs: techno, house, jungle, rap, R&B, dance. 1021A Ste-Catherine W., 288-5609.

Underworld Music Hardcore, punk specialist. 10738 Millen, 383-2280.



Instruments & sheet music

Archambault The one stop for all the classical music you could ever want to have on paper. Pianos too. 500 Ste-Catherine E., 849-6201.

Italmélodie Sales, leasing, service, trade-ins and lessons. Large selection of instruments and sound systems. 274 Jean-Talon E., 273-3224.

Steve's Guitars, drums, keyboards, rock songbooks and rental sound equipment for that big gig. 51 St-Antoine W., 878-2216.



TIME OUT

Repertory cinemas

Cinéma du Parc Montreal's major rep cinema offers a great mix of second-run flicks, indie films, documentaries and re-released classics. A $42 membership card gets you 12 movies. Students $5.50, general admission $6.75. 3575 Parc, 281-1900.

Cinéma Impérial Headquarters for Fantasia and other film fests. They also open their doors a few days a week with second-run flicks. 1432 Bleury, 848-0300.

Cinémathèque québécoise Originally fashioned after the Cinémathèque française in Paris, our version screens an eclectic mix of rare, foreign and documentary films, animation, and mini-retrospectives. The membership card ($100/year, $35/3 months) gives you 50 per cent off a Boite Noire membership and other discount benefits. Students joining in September get $25 off the full-year price. Also houses exhibits. 335 de Maisonneuve E., 842-9763.

Ex-Centris Three brand-spanking-new cinemas offering the old, the new and the foreign. It also houses the Cinema Parallèle, which moved from its intimate space up the street. Students pay $6. 3536 St-Laurent, 847-3536.

Goethe-Institut has been promoting German culture for more than 30 years. Classics from German cinema, retros on directors and avant-garde premieres grace the screen. 418 Sherbrooke E., 499-0159.

NFB Cutbacks mean the fairly new Montreal NFB serves mainly as a distribution centre these days, but if it's an NFB doc or animated short you need, look no further. The Robothèque offers you on-site access to the entire NFB catalogue. Student rates are $2/hr or $3.50 for two hours. Most NFB films are also available for rent, at $3/night. 1564 St-Denis, 496-6887.

Video stores

Blockbuster Convenience is its strong suit, with many locations and multiple copies of new releases so you won't go home disappointed. 4501 St-Denis, 982-9363; 3745 St-Dominique (at des Pins), 285-8868; 1132 Ontario E., 598-5838; 5655 Parc (near Bernard), 279-3522; 2110 Ste-Catherine W., 932-0063.

Boite noire The most complete selection of auteur films in the city, shelved by director. Many hard-to-find indie films and international selections. Great choice of experimental cinema, documentaries, animation and TV shows, which are always free with regular films. Rentals cost $4.50 per day, 2 for 1 Tue-Thu. $14.95 membership is worth it ($12.95 for students). 4450 St-Denis, 287-1249; and smaller location at 380 Laurier W., 277-6979.

Le Club International This new village video store is a living room away from home, with couches, coffee and candy galore. 1150 Ste-Catherine E. 598-7527. Other location at 3560 Van Horne, 733-3090.

Movieland Doesn't specialize in any one area, but solid in most departments. Sun-Thu 3 films for two days at $7.25. Fri-Sat 3 films for one day at $6--except new releases. 1972 Ste-Catherine W., 937-1231; 4154 Ste-Catherine W., 933-2384; 3573 Parc (in La Cité), 843-5206; 1161 Bernard W., 278-1517.

SuperClub Vidéotron This location has a surprisingly interesting selection for a chain outlet, with films categorized by director, decade and country. Other notable sections include queer, horror & exploitation. Wed is 2/1. 1330 Mont-Royal E., 596-2606. 305 Sherbrooke W., 288-4447. 5253 Parc, 276-7303.

Pool halls

Bacci Twenty high-quality tables at its St-Laurent location, and 32 on St-Denis. Has a pro-shop and a late-night kitchen open until 1:30am. More geared to scenesters than serious pool players. $11.50 /hr. Members play free from 11-5pm. Non-members expect to wait during peak hours. Open until 3am. 3553 St-Laurent, 287-9331; 4205 St-Denis, 844-3929.

Club de billiard de Québec 26 tables, lots of classic rock and Elvis murals, but this is a good place to go to if you just want to play pool. $9.50/hr, half-price from 10-2pm. Open 10-3am. 551 Mont-Royal E., 525-5091.

Metropool Very cheap depending on when you go. Home to many serious-minded players. Student special on Sun-Wed after 5pm: $2.50/hr if you buy two drinks. 32 tables, a full bar and a "private room." 1197 St-Laurent, 392-1458.

Le Swimming Painfully hip spot, with a window looking out onto the bustle of St-Laurent glitterati. Trendy space with 12 tables, a bar and lots of TVs, foosball tables and live music on weekends. 3643 St-Laurent, 282-7665.

Bowling alleys

Au Drome 16 alleys of duck-pin action. Sometimes overrun with leagues and closes early most nights except Sat. 1688 Mont-Royal E., 521-7651.

Boulevard Lanes If you absolutely have to go bowling at 4:30am, this place has 54 ten-pin lanes and 18 duck-pin alleys. Best to drive to this remote location. Open 24 hours Wed-Sun. 4400 Jean-Talon E., 729-2829.

Le Forum Neighbourhood place with fun graphics to indicate strikes and spares, a loud beep when you step over the line and mysteriously greasy balls. Bring a towel. 920 St-Zotique E., (near St-Hubert) 274-0797.

Paré Lanes A bit out of the city at metro Namur, but one of the very last old-style tenpin alleys. Mon-Fri $1.75 week per game until 6pm, $3.50 thereafter or 8 games for $18. Other specials. 5250 Paré, 731 9626.

Rose Bowl Lanes The Mirror's Best of Montreal winner for best bowling alley. 72 lanes split democratically between 10-pin and duck-pin. The aluminium-sided exterior disguises a garish mauve interior. Open 24/7. 6510 St-Jacques, 482-7200.

Salon de Quilles International Quiet, cool place to bowl way up the Plateau. 26 computerized lanes, student specials before 6pm. Open until 3am on weekends. 6590 Parc, 276-7222.



SERVICES IN MONTREAL

Laundry

Buanderie du Village Clean place where the staff will do your washing and folding for about $5 per load. 1499 Amherst, 526-4084.

Buanderie St-Viateur A small laundromat which tends to overcrowd but has an adorable resident kitten. Open to 8pm daily. 104 St-Viateur W.

Buanderette Villeneuve Rarely overcrowded thanks to the number of washers they have. Quite cheap at $1.25 per load. Will do your washing for you for a $1.50 service charge per load. Also a dry-cleaning service. Open 8am-8pm. 28 Villeneuve W., 845-5620.

Buanderie du Parc Flat rate for washing, drying and folding: $6 per load. Also provides self-service machines. 3486 Parc, 844-4648.

Buanderie Net-Net will wash, dry and fold your laundry (usually with a 24-hour turnaround) at a rate of $0.69 per pound. A normal load ends up costing $6-$7. Pick-up and delivery service also available. 310 Duluth E., 844-8511.

Lavorama charges $0.70 per pound of clothes washed, dried, folded, and wrapped. 5872 Sherbrooke W., 489-7701.

Nettoyeur Daoust Nice clean launderette at the back for the lower-St-Laurent set. They'll wash and fold for $6.50 a load. 3654 St-Denis, 844-4763.

Physical fitness facilities

In Montreal, it's never too early to start thinking about winter sports. In total, the city has 170 outdoor ice rinks, seven alpine skiing centres, 66.3 kilometres of cross-country ski trails, 13 tobogganing hills and seven snowshoeing courses. The Access Montreal card (see Tenants' rights) gives you discounts on tennis court fees, public skating prices and the like. Ski lessons are provided by L'Ecole de ski de Montréal. Lessons available in alpine, cross-country and snowboarding. Call 872-2237 for more info on these or any of the city's winter sporting facilities. Additionally, Angrignon Park (10-km trail) offers cross-country skiing courses. 872-3816

Arenas Call 872-2237 to find out the hours and days the arena closest to you is open. The rates for public skating are fixed, however: $2.75 for weekends, free through the week. Anyone can skate any day of the week--winter or summer--at the Bell Amphitheatre, 1000 de la Gauchetière W., 395-0555. The cost is $5, call for the "free skate" times.

Indoor pools (Montreal has 30) offer swimming courses for all ages and levels, along with public swimming sessions and training facilities. 872-2237

Cycling A generous autumn in Montreal will let you cycle into November. Of course, there are ambitious bikers who will go all year round, but they inevitably lose Montreal's cycling paths to the encroaching snow. Besides wonderful access along the Old Port and Lachine Canal, exclusive paths for cyclists and in-line skaters can take you all around the island, literally. A bike trail circumnavigates the island of Montreal, taking you by Dorval and Laval, from Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue to Rivière-des-Prairies. Depending on your level of fitness, you can bike it in one day. Call 872-2237 for more details. For a map call Vélo-Québec at 521-VELO (8356).

YMCA has many locations around town for students on the move. Membership benefits include all activities and facilities at all Y locations--like squash and racquetball courts, badminton and basketball, aerobics and swimming. The Y on Parc offers a discounted membership for full-time students who are Montreal residents. Call individual locations for equipment and facilities offered. 1450 Stanley, 849-8393; 200 René-Lévesque W. (Complexe Guy-Favreau), 845-4277; 5550 Parc, 271-9622; 4585 Sherbrooke W., 931-8046; 4335 Hampton, 486-7315.

YWCA The only women's Y in the city offers gym facilities as well as couselling services and more. 1355 René-Lévesque W., 866-9941.

Pet care

Berger Blanc "takes care" of strays, houses dangerous dogs. Animals available for adoption. 9825 Henri-Bourassa E., Rivière-des-Prairies, 494-2002.

Club K-9 NDG pet food supply, has everything for fussy pets, and they deliver. 6004 Sherbrooke W., 489-4004.

Cote St-Luc Animal Hospital By appointment, but has a 24-hour emergency service as well. 5330 Patricia, 489-6845.

Domesti-Serve (426-7277) and Housesitters (426-4215) Offer dog walking, pet care while on vacation and other home-related services.

J.E. Mondou Low prices for bulk cat and dog food. 90 JeanTalon E., 271-5503.

Katsous Pet-care and food products available in various sizes. Free delivery in the neighbourhood. 160 Roy E., 848-0304.

Médecin vétérinaire St-Louis 3928 St-Hubert, 282-1161.

Mobile Veterinary Clinic Will make house calls. 389-1462.

MUC Animals Laws and Licensing info line, 872-3181.

SPCA 24-hour emergency service and adoption. Large selection of animals, shots included. 5215 Jean-Talon W., 735-2711.

Vacation Watch Bonded pet care and plant watering while you're on vacation. 489-7777.



HEALTH CARE IN MONTREAL

Emergency numbers

Gas leaks If you think there might be a gas leak in your residence, call 598-3111.

Québec Poison Control Centre, with information and help concerning any type of poisoning,

1-800-463-5060.

Referral Centre of Greater Montreal, who can help with questions about health, social services and welfare, 527-1375.

Suicide Action Montreal (see Support Lines & Groups) A 24-hour hotline. Service in English is not always available. 723-4000

CLSCs

CLSCs are government-run community health clinics that provide a range of services to Quebec Medicare card-holders. If you feel sick, call them. A nurse will call you back, interview you and then give you an appointment with the on-duty MD if need be. Beats the hell out of the emergency room, since you get to wait at home. CLSC hours are generally 8am-8pm; the times to drop in can vary, so call first to confirm. Some CLSCs insist you be resident of their area before offering services. This is a partial list, so if there isn't one here near you check the phone book for other locations.

CLSC des Faubourgs (527-2361 for all three locations): 1250 Sanguinet; 1705 de la Visitation; and 2260 Parthenais. CLSC Cote-des-Neiges (731-8531 for both locations): 5700 Cote-des-Neiges; and 1271 Van Horne. CLSC Parc-Extension 469 Jean-Talon W., 273-9591. CLSC Plateau Mont-Royal 4689 Papineau, 521-7663. CLSC St-Henri 3833 Notre-Dame W., 933-7541. CLSC St-Louis-du-Parc 155 St-Joseph E. 286-9657. CLSC Metro 1801 de Maisonneuve W., 934-0354. CLSC NDG / Montreal 2525 Cavendish 485-1670. CLSC Verdun Two locations: 1090 de L'eglise, 766-0546; 6045 Monk, 765-0413. CLSC La Petite Patrie 6520 de St-Vallier, 273-4508.

The Vendome Emergency Clinic is privately owned but their services are free to Medicare card holders. The waiting times are very short, and service good. Open to see a doctor without appointment Mon-Fri 9am-8pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm. 5175 de Maisonneuve W. (right by metro Vendome), 484-4711.

Dentistry clinics

Cote-des-Neiges Dental Clinic They prefer you to call first, but you can drop in Mon 8-11am, Wed and Fri 8am-6pm. 3550 Cote-des-Neiges, #350, 935-5145.

Jewish General Hospital Mon-Fri. 8:30am-12pm and 1-4:30pm. 5750 Cote-des-Neiges (east entrance), 340-7910.

McGill University Student Dental Clinic At the Montreal General Hospital. Reasonable rates for supervised student dentistry, by application only. 934-8021

Montreal General Dentistry Department By appointment: 937-6011 ext. 2475 Emergency Walk-in clinic Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm. 1650 Cedar, 934-8397 After-hours emergencies: 934-8075

Pregnancy & Parenting

Birthright 4100 St-Antoine W., 937-9324.

Centre conseil grossesse 7394 19th Ave Montreal, 593-1720.

Centre des femmes Montréal A drop-in centre; free clothes and food for women with families in need. 3585 St-Urbain, 842-4780.

Elizabeth House A rehabilitation centre for pregnant teens and young mothers in difficulty. Preparation for independent living or returning home. English only. 2131 Marlowe, 482-2488.

Fédération du Québec pour le planning des naissances 110 Ste-Thérése, #405, 866-3721.

Grossesse secours Hotline provides information about pregnancy. Baby toys and clothing available. Also contraception info and free pregnancy tests. If you need to talk, they'll sit a volunteer down with you. It's pro-woman, not pro-life or pro-choice. Mon-Fri. 9am-9pm. Sat-Sun 11am-3pm. 79 Beabien E., 271-0554.

Head & Hands Walk-in clinic, Mon-Thu 5:30-9pm Fri, 12:30-4pm. Sign-up is half-hour before. They provide excellent abortion consultation. Doctors are friendly and sincere. 2304 Old Orchard, 481-0277 or 481-3643.

Head & Hands Young Parents' Program Baby clothing, furniture exchange for under-24 moms and dads. Wesley United Church, 5964 NDG Avenue, 482-7910.

McGill Women's Union Birth control (except the pill) available at cost. Post-abortion support group. Sole women-only space on campus. Referrals, library and files on women's groups all over Canada. Men are welcome for birth-control and library services. 398-6823

Montreal Diet Dispensary A volunteer organization that provides nutritional counselling to pregnant women. Also distributes vitamins, one litre of milk and an egg a day to pregnant women. Call for an appointment, but priority goes to women with pregnancies at risk. 2182 Lincoln, 937-5375.

Montreal General Family Planning 934-8076

Morgentaler Clinic Abortion clinic. Call for appointments Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm. The clinic is located at 30 St-Joseph E., #710. 844-4844.

Mouvement retrouvaille Help in finding biological parents. In Longueuil, (450) 646-1060.

St. Columba House Lunch program for families with pre-school-age children, welfare rights, nursery school, clothing room, food distribution. Homework help for kids and more. 2365 Grand Trunk, 932-6202.

HIV/AIDS

AIDS Community Care Montreal One-on-one buddy system for support, self-help groups for people with AIDS and their family and friends. Bereavement groups. Confidential message and information line: 859-9032. Office and general info at 2075 Plessis, 527-0928.

Centre d'action SIDA Montréal pour femmes Support for women and children with AIDS including home or hospital visits, child care, crisis funds, workshops, information sessions, addiction and legal counselling and social activities for members. Mon-Thu 9am-5pm, Fri 9am-3pm, 823 Laurier E., 495-0990, pager: 749-8112, and fax: 495-8087.

Centre SIDA secours Info on housing and resources for people with HIV/AIDS. 2290 Bercy, #103, 842-4439.

Centre québécois de coordination sur le SIDA Coordinates all activities concerning AIDS for the Quebec Ministry of Health. 201 Crémazie, #RC-03, 873-9890.

Clinique de l'alternative Confidential HIV testing by appointment and walk-in, referrals. Also pregnancy tests (no follow-up), abortions and STD tests. Different times for different services, call first. Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm, but they sometimes close early, so if it's after 2:30pm, call first. 2034 St-Hubert, 281-9848.

Clinique l'actuel Confidential testing for HIV by appointment. Medical treatment and follow-up after diagnosis. Specializes in all STDs. Counselling available, referrals to other groups. Make an appointment. Mon-Thu 8am-9pm; Fri 8am-4pm. 1001 de Maisonneuve E., #1130, 524-1001.

Coalition des organismes communautaires Québécois de lutte contre le SIDA Quebec-wide coalition of AIDS-related groups. They can refer you to the AIDS group nearest you. 1 Sherbrooke E., 844-2477.

Concordia Health Services Offers HIV/AIDS info, referrals for testing (Concordia students only). Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. 2155 Guy, #407, 848-3565.

GAPVIES Public awareness, info line and listening service, resources and support for people with AIDS, their partners and families. 2577A Jean-Talon E., #101, 722-5655.

Info-SIDA Run by Comité SIDA aide Montréal. Info on HIV/AIDS. Resources, medical info, prevention and treatment. Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm, Sat-Sun 11am-3pm. 750 St-André, 521-7432

Jewish General Hospital Infectious Diseases Clinic Gives confidential HIV tests, counselling for HIV/AIDS, teaches medical treatment to home-care patients for self-administration. Walk-in clinic in mornings for all STDs. Mon-Fri 9-11:30am. No appointment necessary. 3755 Cote-Ste-Catherine, Pavilion G, Room 148, 340-8222, ext. 8230.

Maison d'Hérelle Housing for people living with HIV/AIDS. 3742 St-Hubert, 844-4874.