🍦🐀 Montreal’s Rat Takeover is Worse Than You Think

Bonjour-hi to you today mon ami / amie,

Life lesson: When your future landlord insists on a mandatory 90-minute "apartment orientation meeting," that's not normal adult behaviour; that's a red flag the size of a Vadholma kitchen island from Ikea. But hey, I signed the lease, so there I was, nodding through his 74-slide PowerPoint magnum opus, featuring such classics as Page 54’s: “How to Sit on a Chair — A Visual Journey.

Moral of the story: trust your gut when someone wants to teach you how to sit. Anyone else ignore obvious warning signs and live to regret it? Please share your “walk-in” red-flags!

In this week’s issue…

• 🏙️ City News - Rats, vacant apartments, and baseball vs. books—just another week in Montreal.

• 💗 Feel-Good- Blues, gymnasts, and heritage tours that hit you in the feels.

• 🤲 Non-Profit - Old Brewery Mission steps up as heat and homelessness collide.

• 🍽️ Food - Ice cream so good it’s basically therapy: Iconoglace, Swirl, Dalla Rose.

• 👩‍🔬 People of MTL - Neuroscientist turned musician Mari Sild on masks, music, and meaning.

• 🎟️ Events - From salsa Beatles to anime madness, wine fairs to Pride Parade—your weekend is stacked.

• 🍅 Neighbourhood Spotlight - Little Italy’s secret history: Mussolini frescoes, backyard pizza ovens, and garlic beer.

If you’d like to be a contributor for our lovely little publication then reply to this email!

CITY NEWS

🏙️ What's Happening Around Town

1. Montreal wants to swap a baseball field for a library, turning home plate into a homework station. Parents are crying foul, claiming their kids need diamonds more than encyclopedias. The city's bold plan has created the ultimate sports versus smarts showdown; where striking out takes on a whole new meaning in the literacy league.

2. Montreal's furry residents are staging a hostile takeover, with complaints jumping from 1,000 to 1,700 since 2022. Downtown rats are apparently networking better than tech bros, tripling their presence in three boroughs.

3. Nearly 200 affordable apartments remain vacant in Pointe-aux-Trembles despite Montreal's severe housing shortage. Housing advocates believe landlords are exploiting a legal loophole, keeping units empty over 12 months to dramatically increase rents afterward. The city promises pressure on property owners and considers expropriation if necessary.

FEEL GOOD

💗 Stories That Make Me Fall In Like With This City

West Island Blues Festival: 22 Years of Music & Impact
Now in its 22nd year, the festival has raised nearly $500,000 for local nonprofits. Co-founded by Deputy Mayor Errol Johnson and Mayor Jim Beis, it blends world-class blues with giving. Don’t miss the August 9 concert at Dorval’s Pine Beach.

Cirque du Soleil x Gymnastics Canada: Art Meets Athleticism
On August 1, Cirque du Soleil welcomed 60 national gymnasts and coaches for workshops on confidence, recovery, and expression; ending with a showing of LUZIA. This powerful partnership showcases Montreal’s role as a hub where art inspires elite athletic performance.

Montreal’s Cultural Revival: Heritage & Art for All
Héritage Montréal celebrates 50 years with ArchitecTours (Aug 2–Sept 28), exploring the city’s evolving architecture. Meanwhile, McCord Stewart Museum offers free youth admission and “Pay What You Can” Sundays; ensuring heritage and culture remain open, engaging, and accessible to all.

NON-PROFIT

🤲 A Cause Just Cause

💙 Old Brewery Mission: Support Montreal’s Unhoused

With homelessness at record levels, the Old Brewery Mission provides vital shelter, rehousing, and prevention services. Their new Lachine facility expands capacity just as summer heat puts lives at risk. They're calling for volunteers (18+) to commit weekly—perfect for PlayMTL readers ready to make a real, lasting difference in their city.

FOOD

🍽️ Food & Drink Buzz - Beat the Heat Edition

🍦 Iconoglace – Artisanal Ice Cream in Montreal’s Petite‑Patrie
Funky, handcrafted delights with cone, slush, sundae, and vegan soft‑serve options, plus inventive creations like kombucha floats and rotating hard‑ice‑cream specials. A hotspot for playful, quality.

🍧 Why It’s a Must‑Try
From waffle cones to slushies made with real fruit and maple water, everything’s homemade. The ever‑changing weekly offerings include bold soft‑serve flavours and sundae creations that keep locals excited.

🍦 Swirl MTL – Vegan Soft‑Serve in the Plateau
A sleek, minimal take‑out window at Rachel & Laval serving house‑made, organic coconut‑milk soft‑serve and sorbet. Everything’s vegan with a creamy, buttery texture thanks to their slick gravitational machine—flavors rotate seasonally, inspired by local and Asian.

Why It’s Worth a Visit
Swirl has quickly become a go‑to for dairy‑free dessert lovers in Montreal. With rich mouthfeel, ever‑changing flavours, and a design‑forward vibe, it's a standout spot where vegan indulgence feels upscale and indulgent

🍨 Dalla Rose – Artisanal Ice Cream & Sandwiches in St‑Henri
Nestled in St‑Henri, Dalla Rose crafts elegant ice cream sandwiches with homemade cookies and locally sourced ingredients, including vegan options—served in reusable jars for environmental flair.

 Why It’s a Summer Staple (and Beyond)
Crowned one of Montreal’s top ice cream spots, the menu features inventive, ever-rotating flavors like Earl Grey, pistachio, or lavender, plus seasonal twists—making every visit a delightful and refreshing surprise.

PEOPLE OF MONTREAL / GENS D’ICI

🧍Mari Sild - The Neuroscientist Turned Musician (Redux)

“Montreal pulled me in like a vortex“

Photo Credit: Jairam Lahir

“I have two lives.

In one, I’m a neuroscientist working in clinical research.

In the other, I’m a musician — a pianist, a singer, a songwriter.

I grew up in the Estonian countryside, walking barefoot through forests, mushroom-picking with my grandmother, and listening to my family play piano. Music and nature were my first languages.

I came to Canada almost by accident—one email to a lab in Quebec City, and a single 'yes' changed everything. Montreal pulled me in like a vortex, with its conversations in half a dozen languages—its feeling that everyone carried secret layers.

For a long time, I wore masks to fit in. Now, I just want to be real.”

When asked about influences, she speaks reverently about Ivar Puura, a geologist, palaeontologist and friend of her parents. "He was an amazing, pure soul," she says. "When my father passed when I was 17, Ivan spent time with us, helping us heal, asking for nothing in return."

Ivan, an environmental activist who himself faced great personal loss, inspired her song Soulscapes.

"He described life as a voyage through the soul," she reflects. "He just wanted to make the world a better place."

Maybe that's the real goal — just to keep moving closer to that."

Make sure to explore Mari’s discography here.

EVENTS

🎟️🎪 Weekend Plans That Don't Suck

Thursday (August 7)

FRIDAY (August 8)

SATURDAY (August 9)

SUNDAY (August 10)

NEIGHBOURHOODS

🍅 Little Italy – Montreal’s Hidden Mosaic in Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie

Beyond its famous Jean-Talon Market, Little Italy hides layers of untold history—like the fact that Montreal’s first espresso machine arrived here in the 1950s, sparking the city’s café culture. Many homes still have backyard pizza ovens, passed down generations. The Church of the Madonna della Difesa features a rare fresco of Mussolini—painted before WWII.

• ☕ Espresso Revolution: Montreal’s first espresso machine was installed in Little Italy in the 1950s, laying the foundation for the city’s café culture.

• 🍕 Backyard Pizza Ovens: Many homes still have traditional brick pizza ovens—remnants of post-war Italian immigration and family gatherings centred around food.

• 🎨 Fresco of Mussolini: The Church of the Madonna della Difesa (built in 1919) contains a rare fresco of Mussolini; commissioned before WWII, when he was still viewed favourably for defending the Vatican.

• 🎭 Cultural Crossroads: Once predominantly Italian, the neighborhood is now home to artists, indie businesses, and a growing Portuguese and Latin American community; making it a quiet hotspot of cultural fusion.

• 🧄 Garlic Festival: Jean-Talon Market, a local anchor, hosts quirky seasonal events like the Garlic Festival, where you’ll find garlic ice cream, garlic beer, and even garlic bouquets.

OUTRO

Well I had fun, did you? If you found something useful, share it with a friend. If you didn't, share it with your ex. They're used to disappointment.

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