Mile End neighborhood... the old haunt

It was many years that I spent living in the Mile End neighborhood which is technically speaking part of Le Plateau. Its located up along Park Avenue roughly between st Denis. This famous restaurant has been there ever since I was there, that's going back twenty years now since I arrived in 2004. People were in there, no doubt having some over priced bacon and eggs. The coffee is probably fantastic. Scenes like this are tough, the architectural elements and perspective have to come together in a way that is visually interesting as a painting. I use the "V" composition where the sidewalk is a V shape and helps anchor the scene. 

Restaurante Leméac watercolour, 6 x 7.5" cold press, September 2024

On the bottom middle of this scene is the misleading Supermarche Rahman, which is better known for its enormous selection of craft beers. I used to shop there all the time for the 'groceries', that is a bit of a joke, there are not many groceries just some cans on the shelf. It was called Paradise de la Biere (Beer Paradise) back in the old days. The building on top had a nice raw sienna facade with brick detailing and iron bar balconies. Next to in on the left is an abomination of a construction project, it was supposed to be a new hotel but got stalled out about 5 or 10 years ago and its just a skeleton of a structure.

Supermarche Rahman, watercolour, 6 x 7.5" cold press, September 2024

Speaking of beer, I went past one of my favorite places from the past, the world renowned craft beer pub Dieu du Ciel! The exclamation part is part of its official title. There I stood wistfully looking into the empty pub, making a painting of its woody interior. It was before 11AM, but on the way back I went by again and it was full of people drinking, and on the on the patio they were drinking and smoking. Painting this was difficult, the interior has multiple levels and a myriad of tables and chairs, with light beams coming in through the front and side windows.

Before the Beer (Dieu du Ciel!) watercolour, 6 x 7.5" cold press, September 2024