First on the list, Cacao 70. After all, there is nothing like a cup of hot chocolate to warm up on a cold winter’s day. With four locations in Montreal, this cafe has built a legendary status in the city for their incredible hot chocolate, and we can attest to the rumours, it is that good! With a lengthy list of hot chocolates comprised of cocoa varieties from around the globe, there is a flavour to match all taste buds: bitter, sweet, or spicy. Our company favourite is the Mexican hot chocolate.

Photo credit: Cacao 70

Finding motivation to exercise is often harder in the chillier months. Unless you head out to the slopes, regular outdoor activities like running, cycling, and tennis prove difficult during a blizzard! Take the workout indoors at Dita Pilates. Located in NDG, this studio has a variety of courses that cater to all skill levels, offering pilates and ballet barre, as well as private and semi-private sessions. We can attest, you definitely feel the heat after one of these classes. Grab your water bottle; we’ll meet you there!

Photo credit: Dita Pilates

We firmly believe that being warm and facing the elements does not have to mean sacrificing style. These mittens from Kinsu prove just that. The Montreal-based brand has found a way to blend eco-friendly practices with fashion, crafting their mittens from pre-loved denim. Locally handmade, we love the variations in styles and colours, as well as the range of linings to help tackle even the coldest days.

Photo credit: Kinsu

One of our favourite comfort dishes this time of year is a hearty bowl of soup. Leave the canned varieties on the shelf and head over to Soupesoup for the real deal. Their soup offerings, made with local fresh ingredients, change daily. In the vast rotation of flavours, you’ll find carrot, cauliflower, yam & lime and beets, just to name a few! This restaurant-café hybrid has six Montreal locations, a cookbook full of recipes to re-create at home, as well as soups available in to-go packaging at select IGA grocers. No matter what part of Montreal you call home, you’ll be able to try a bowl almost anywhere.

Photo credit: Soupesoup

Let’s face it. On some blustery days, we’d rather stay home, snowflakes falling outside, curled up under a warm blanket. All that’s missing is a scented candle. Ville-Marie Mtl has a large selection of soy candles ranging from fresh to woodsy fragrances. We love their packaging that blends contemporary wood and glass. Made right here in Montreal, their candles are perfect for a peaceful day embracing the comforts of home.

Photo credit: Ville-Marie Mtl

After reading our list, we have a funny feeling that winter will soon become your favourite time of year.

The post Top 5 Things to Do in Montreal this Winter to Stay Warm appeared first on Suite 203.

For the foodie

We are ambassadors of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution campaign, which celebrates the importance of cooking with healthy fresh ingredients and getting kids involved in the kitchen. Jamie’s new cookbook Super Food Family Classics is an extension of that message, featuring healthy twists on family favourites. With recipes including squash mac ‘n’ cheese and smoky dressed aubergines & peppers, these dishes are sure to be new-found dinner time staples for the foodie on your list.

Available at Indigo for $37.99

Photo Courtesy of JamieOliver.com

For the advocate

Usher is a supporter, and so are we. Help raise awareness for type 1 diabetes with The Human Trial + OBEY® Awareness t-shirt. Made from an extra soft, lightweight cotton, these limited-edition t-shirts feature Shepard Fairey’s artwork and 100% of the profits support the making of The Human Trial, a feature-length documentary raising awareness for T1D. Find out more about this cause and how to get involved, here.

T-shirts are available online at The Human Trial $30.00.

Photo courtesy of The Human Trial

For the busy bee

You know the person who always has 10 things happening at once; the one whose agenda is filled through the next 6 months, and has an inbox bursting with important emails? Help take a load off their list this holiday season and give them the gift of Concierge Montreal. This unique company has a list of over 100 personal concierge services including everything from shopping and vacation planning to dry-cleaning pickup and event management. The options for gifting your busy bee with an item to remove from their to-do list are endless.

Find out more at Concierge Montreal.

Photo courtesy of Concierge Montreal

 For the fashion rebel

The fashion lover on your list will be eternally grateful for a pair of A.S.98 boots. Made of Tuscan vegetable leather and designed in Verona, Italy, your giftee will get more than a simple boot, but a work of art! With a wide array of shoes for men and women, as well as a beautiful collection of leather handbags, there is a design fit for all the fashion rebels on your list.

This studded heeled boot has an edgy, romantic feel ideal for a lady who loves street style and treats her work commute as a runway to showcase her style. Available in store or online for $400.00

Photo courtesy of A.S.98

For you…

With the hustle bustle of this holiday season, don’t forget to pamper yourself a little too. Call up your girlfriends and treat yourselves to a little R&R, with a facial and mani-pedi session. Annie Young has a wide array of services offering over 10 different facials and a selection of manicure styles, all performed with fine, high-quality products. Visit Annie Young Cosmetiques to book your appointment, and don’t forget to say hi to Sharleen for us!

Photo courtesy of Annie Young

For the altruistic

There is no greater gift than helping a child in need. Donate in your recipient’s name to the Just for Kids Foundation in support of their A Vision for the Future Campaign. Funds will support the Montreal Children’s Hospital by purchasing high priority medical equipment. Donations will provide the hospital with the best technology and quality equipment possible and ensure the highest standard of care for the kids now and in the future. Make a donation via the Just for Kids Foundation’s website here.

Photo courtesy of Just for Kids Foundation

The post Our Favourite Things – Holiday Gift Edition appeared first on Suite 203.

Photo by @harleyplays

1. Gibeau Orange Julep

Every true Montrealer has been to this place to grab a late-night snack (poutine) and that infamous green cup of secret recipe orange juice. Open 24 hours all year round, the giant orange ball and colourful flags blowing in the wind have become a must-shoot photo for adding a touch of orange to your feed.

Photo by @Montreall

Photo by @foodguymtl

2. Mount-Royal Observatory (The Lookout)

Whether passing by on a mountain run or swarming to this hotspot with tourists alike, the renowned lookout point never gets old. The best place to get a view of downtown Montreal and beyond; with this beautiful skyline shot, no selfies are required.

Photo by @camille_dg

Photo by @missferreira

3. La Diperie

Not an official landmark, this turquoise brick wall has been all over Instagram for quite some time now. You can’t call yourself an ice cream lover without stopping by La Diperie and devouring a dipped icy treat. Whether you choose nuts, pretzels or candy as the final layer, you know it will be one photo-worthy cone.

Photo by @sarahcout

Photo by @tashadeane

Photo by @eatdrinkbcarrie

4. Le Palais des Congrès

The gorgeous multi-coloured windows of this well-known building are synonymous with Montreal. No matter the weather, you’re sure to find a rainbow in the heart of the city to sprinkle some colour into your day and on to your feed.

Photo by @benmulroney

Photo by @hey.maca

5. Bota Bota

Paradise on earth: a floating spa on the edge of the city. The contrast between modern design and sheer relaxation is one of the many reasons why people love taking pictures here. Between the pools, the waterfalls and the hammocks, you’ll have no problem finding the perfect shot (or two or three).

Photo by @chloedumont

Photo by @jennabel91

Photo by @aniklacasse

6. Farine Five Roses

An iconic Montreal landmark, this flour factory has a sign that can be seen from the Lachine Canal. While it may look industrial from a distance, when paired with the perfect sunset, this shot epitomizes our city.

Photo by @saradiamondmusic

Photo by @montreal_gallery

7. Mandy’s

Mandy’s proves that salads need not be boring. Quickly becoming one of Montreal’s top healthy lunch destinations, Mandy’s draws in locals as well as tourists with their colourful mixes of fresh ingredients and iconic salad bowls. Whether you decide to enjoy one of their bestselling salads (or soups or smoothies) or create your own custom mix, you’re sure to have a delicious meal and a stunning Instagram photo.

Photo by @mademoisellejules

Photo by @samanthacutler

Photo by @tanyakupelian

The post Montreal Social Media – 7 instagrammable places appeared first on Suite 203.

Photo by Querelles

At Suite 203 Communications, we are all for starting our day on the right foot: iPhones charged, coffee carafe filled, and body fueled with a healthy breakfast. That’s why we were so excited to launch the new online customized cereal brand, Mixit.ca.

The Montreal-based owners imported the idea from the Czech Republic after being loyal customers to the brand while overseas. Stephanie and Oldrich knew that Canadians would respond well to the fun, convenient concept and as a nation of foodies would love the healthy, delicious options available.

Suite 203 was brought on board to generate buzz with both the media and the public across Quebec. We crafted a two-tiered marketing plan involving a public relations media outreach strategy and a social media program to engage the target market, as well as recommending a timeline to best take advantage of the end of spring timeframe.

Photo by Montreal Maven

We launched the brand with clear, concise and clever communications that peaked the interest of over 70 digital and print media sources across the province (and a few in Ontario as well). We guided the writers, bloggers and journalists through the Mixit online ordering process so that they could experience the concept and then taste the dried fruits, grains and nuts of their labour, with their very own customized cereal creations.

The program generated an outstanding response and the brand enjoyed over 5.5 million impressions over the next months, including articles in Châtelaine, Les Zurbaines, Vitamin Daily, Le Cahier, Divine.ca, La Presse and Moi & Cie.

At the same time, the complementary social media strategy initiated a discussion with one of Quebec’s most prestigious retailers, Oglivy, which led to a weekend-long pop up shop, garnering additional exposure for the Mixit brand.

Photo by Lapiz of Luxury

Want to get your company into the limelight? We can boost your brand with a customized strategy to meet your company’s objectives. Get in touch and let’s see how we can exceed your expectations!

Lauren’s Wake Up Wonder Breakfast Mix:
Dr. Bircher’s Oat Classic with Freeze Dried Strawberries, Chia Seeds and Maple Syrup Sunflower Seeds

Dayna’s Morning Magic Breakfast Mix:
Eh Hon! cereal with Organic Pineapple, Coconut Flakes and a dash of Cinnamon

The post We choose our own breakfast adventure with Mixit.ca appeared first on Suite 203.

Here in Montreal, Suite 203 Communications spearheaded the events as the local ambassadors of this global movement. Armed with our expertise in all things event planning, PR and social media, we wanted to make the day truly stand out. Rather than limiting ourselves to a cooking class for children, we wanted to get as many people involved and appreciating Montreal’s passion for food.

And so, the Real Food Market was launched for 2014 after its initial debut in 2012. This year’s event kept it truly local with all proceeds benefitting La Tablée des Chefs. This local organization not only feeds families in needs but provides adolescents with cooking skills to make them autonomous in the kitchen. The 2014 edition of the Real Food Market was held at La Tablée des Chefs’ cooking school in the Jean Talon Market; La Salle Mandoline, an ideal venue given the nature of the event.

The dedicated team at La Tablée des Chefs

Guests were treated to the culinary delights of over a dozen local restaurant and food purveyors. From canapés to Carone wine and fresh breads to yogurt, local, homemade food was put front and centre, giving guests a chance to try some of Montreal’s newest culinary talent. Vendors included: La Bête à pain, Bevo Bar & Pizzeria, Bretzel & Compagnie, Carone wines, Creemore Springs, Cult Yogourt, Glow Cleanse, Granville Island Brewing Company, Fédération des producteurs d’oeufs de consommation du Québec, Le Kitchen, Macchi Inc., Petit Pots & Co., Preservation Society, Prince Noir, Renoir, Rickards, Rougié, Round Table Tours, Su, La Tablée des Chefs and Voss Water.

Once they had shopped and sampled the market, guests were privy to watch our Live Cooking Challenge. This Chopped-style event featured chefs Martin Juneau of Pastaga and Stefano Faita of Impasto, as well as Johanna Tremblay, a sous-chef at Restaurant Renoir who had won her spot in an online auction. The chefs were given a basket of mystery items from event sponsors Macchi Inc. and Lufa Farms and had access to a pantry of products to cook up a main course in just 45 minutes. Judges Dustin Gilman, Aimee Wimebush-Bourque and Catherine Lefebvre decided that Martin Juneau’s lamb chop dish beat out the competition.

Stefano, Johanne and Martin

Our judges: Aimee, Dustin & Catherine

In true Suite 203 style, Food Revolution Day was all over the news prior to the event. On TV, entire segments were devoted to the cause on Global Morning News, Breakfast Television, CTV’s Sunday Bite and Ca Commence Bien. Articles were also published in La Presse+, Notable.ca, Coup de Pouce, Journal Metro and more.

Live at Impasto with Wilder Weir and Stefano

An amazing morning shooting with BT Montreal at the Jean Talon Market

Mission accomplished for an importance cause. Our wheels are already spinning for the 2015 edition of Food Revolution Day in Montreal…Do you want to get involved?

Lauren & Dayna from Suite 203 proud (and exhausted) after a successful evening

The post Montreal’s Food Revolution Day 2014 appeared first on Suite 203.

As the Montreal ambassadors of Food Revolution Day here in Montreal, we, at Suite 203, are proud to be partnering with La Tablée des Chefs to create a fun-filled, foodie event on May 16^th. Throughout the world, communities will be joining forces to promote “real food;” food that is made from scratch; and doesn’t come out of a box or bag. It’s about teaching people how easy it is to cook at home, all while supporting an amazing organization that gives adolescents the skills to be a healthier generation.

Here’s what we have planned:

The Real Food Market – Salle Mandoline – Jean Talon Market

• Open to the public, this curated market of local restaurants and food purveyors will allow Montrealers to try some of our city’s very best cuisine, all under one roof. Applications are currently being accepted for exhibitors. Contact us for more details!
• The Live Cooking Challenge, sponsored by Macchi Inc, will feature chefs Martin Juneau of Pastaga and Stefano Faita of Impasto. The two will be competing in a cooking competition alongside the winner of our soon-to-be launched auction for one lucky individual to cook with the pros.
  
• Challenge judges include Aimee Wimebush-Bourque of Simple Bites, nutritionist and author of the cookbook, Les Carnivores infidèles, Catherine Lefebvre and Food Guy Montreal’s Dustin Gilman.
  
• A VIP event featuring a private cooking demonstration from chef Martin Juneau himself.
• A raffle of amazing cooking related products and restaurants gift certificates.
• All proceeds to benefit La Tablée des Chefs.

To learn more about sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities, or how to get involved:

If you have your own idea about how to promote Food Revolution Day here in Montreal we’re here to help! Share your ideas and we’ll help you promote your special event on May 16^th!

More about Food Revolution Day

For the past three years, Jamie Oliver has been on a mission to change the way the world thinks about food. It used to be that cooking skills were passed down from generation to generation but today kids and adults alike lack even the most basic cooking skills. We need to get back to basics: to cook and eat fresh local produce; to share cooking skills and food knowledge; to join forces within communities and get as many people involved as possible. Food Revolution Day is our opportunity to get the world to focus on the importance of good food and essential cooking skills, by rallying our efforts to empower people with better cooking skills and to inspire them to cook fresh food from scratch.

The post Montreal’s Food Revolution Day: May 16th, 2014 appeared first on Suite 203.

With the goals to drive new traffic to the mall from surrounding neighbourhoods and create a sense of goodwill with current customers, a feel good event was the perfect medium. Over 275 cupcakes were baked with love by Sweet Isabelle, an amazingly talented lady with a super kid-friendly (and adult friendly too) crew. The cupcake team came equipped with frosting and decor items including marshmallow based cut-outs including kissing frogs, happy hippos and princess castles.

Over the course of the two hour event, neighbourhood children and their parents came to decorate a little bit of sweetness. While most of the mini cupcakes were consumed before their departure, a few were packed up to take home as Valentine’s Day gifts.

Guests were asked to make a $2 donation per cupcake, with all proceeds to be donated to the “Just for Kids” Foundation on behalf of Quartier Cavendish. A total of just over $400 will be donated to the Foundation for their Take Heart campaign, raising funds for new state-of-the-art equipment for the cardiology department at the new Montreal Children’s Hospital.

With  a newly launched Facebook page, Quartier Cavendish also wanted to promote their new social channel. Suite 203 created a contest and campaign to increase Likes. All event guests who liked the Facebook page during the day of the event were entered for a chance to win a $100 gift certificate to use at any of the mall’s retailers and service providers.

Sweet Isabelle’s cupcake photo booth was also a huge hit with the crowd. Guest images can be shared and liked here.

All in all the event was a success. Equal parts strategy, corporate goodwill and sweetness, all parties involved left with a bit of a sugar rush!

The post Quartier Cavendish Delights for Valentine’s Day with Sweet Isabelle appeared first on Suite 203.

Back for its seventh edition, this Old Montreal restaurant festival is on from January 9^th until February 2^nd with nine participating restaurants. All are offering three course dinner table d’hôte menus ($21/$25/$29) while a select few (denoted with stars) are serving extremely reasonably priced ($15) lunches.

• Kyo Bar Japonais *
• Bevo Bar + Pizzeria
• Modavie *
• Mechant Boeuf
• Suite 701 *
• Tarverne Gaspar
• Verses *
• Vieux-Port Steakhouse *

While we’re excited about saving over 30% off on fabulous food in picturesque Old Montreal, the real draw for us to Happening Gourmand is choosing from the chef’s table d’hôte picks, encouraging us to stray from our favourite and more common menu choices. The Happening Gourmand heats up our palates with new flavours.

Last night, we gathered up a group of girlfriends for a night out at Suite 701. After carefully analyzing all of the menus, this lounge restaurant was chosen to accommodate the vegetarians in the group.

Italian meatball burger

We started our meat-free meal off with a roasted buttercup squash salad complete with cauliflower, quinoa and pearl barley. The main course featured carnaroli risotta with soybeans, wild mushrooms, spinach and parmesan. And to make us feel like summer might just be that much closer, we opted for the key lime pie for dessert.

Carnivores will rejoice in more than a few hearty options at Suite 701 (like the Italian meatball burger), as well as the other participating restaurants. While there are still more than two weeks left to enjoy the festival, we’re already planning our next meal out. Our mouths are already watering at the potential of a lobster linguine lunch at the Vieux-Port Steakhouse…

Bon appétit!

The post Suite 203 Hits The Happening Gourmand appeared first on Suite 203.

Photo courtesy of Sebastien Roy

Enter Montreal’s food blogger community. This batch of discerning, honest and hungry writers is our go-to resource on where to satisfy our cravings with Montreal’s best eats. We thought it would be fun to introduce you to a few of our favourites…. Suite 203 serves up a little Q&A with the guys from 514eats.com.

Image courtesy of 514eats

Q: Tell us about the mouths behind 514eats…

A: 514eats is two childhood friends that grew up in the Middle East, studied Engineering at McGill, and now work separately in Business Intelligence and Finance. What Adnan brings to the table in web/database development and a penchant for eating a lot, Nizar complements with a knack for cooking, photography and image processing. In other words, 514eats would not survive without the two of us.

Image courtesy of 514eats

Q: Why did you decide to write a food blog?

A: Being friends for such a long time, it’s only normal that we eat out a lot.  We naturally love eating and drinking, anywhere we might find it. We are, on the other hand, extremely picky when it comes to food, so we usually end up criticizing and commenting to each other. When we started following some blogs to keep up to date with new establishments, most failed to provide us with what we were looking for, and 514eats was born.

Image courtesy of 514eats

Q: There are so many great Montreal restaurants… How do you choose which ones to feature?

A: For starters, we don’t “feature” restaurants, we rather “review” them.  We give you the good, the bad and the ugly. How do we pick what restaurant to review?  Without boring you to death, let’s just say we employ a complex database system that ensures fairness and randomization towards all eateries (it’s not our fault, we’re engineers by training.)

Image courtesy of 514eats

Q: What’s your new go-to summer restaurant? Why?        

A: Although we’ve enjoyed several new places this summer, none blew our hats off yet (we’re hard to impress, remember?) Of notable mention are (in no particular order): Blackstrap BBQ, the only Memphis style bbq in town, for succulent smoky meats; SuWu, with a unique old-school hip-hop vibe, to down some drinks and small bites, especially during Grand Prix and sidewalk sales; and finally Namos*, for a more relaxed gathering between friends to share Greek food and wine on the terrace.

* Please note, that 514eats was not asked to plug our client, Namos, but we are sure glad they did! Check out their review of this Mile End  hot-spot!

The post 514eats Dishes on Restaurants in Montreal appeared first on Suite 203.

On a wet and dreary evening last week, Montreal’s foodie elites broke-out their umbrellas and braved the elements to taste some fresh, home-style Greek cuisine.

Their destination was Montreal restaurant Namos (namosrestaurant.com), offering Greek fare & local favourites crafted from the freshest ingredients, modernized with a tapas twist. Namos redefines time-honoured Greek cuisine in a laid-back and inviting atmosphere, synonymous with the Mile End.

Suite 203 Communications had the pleasure of hosting the group of food bloggers, reviewers and lifestyle journalist and presenting Chef Peter Christopolous long with a tasting menu of house favourites.

Here are some highlights and a few of the many raving reviews:

Chef Peter working his magic behind the scenes

Tasting menu

Parting gift: Mama’s tomato sauce

Review by 514 Eats: Namos – Greek Tapas Anyone?
Review by The Main: Namos – Authentic Greek Tapas
Review by The Montreal Gazette: Casual Restos: Naxos

Namos is located at 228 Bernard Ouest, Montreal, 
514-490-4222
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Namosrestaurant
Twitter: @namosrestaurant

The post Montreal restaurant media event: Namos appeared first on Suite 203.