Searching For Leonard Cohen

I can't remember where but I once read that Leonard Cohen lived in The Plateau near a park and that he would often be seen walking the sidewalks of St. Laurent Boulevard.  I found that I kept thinking of this since that is the Montreal neighbourhood we are staying in for the summer.

We were stuck in the apartment one rainy afternoon and I decided to take that time to pound Google until I found out where his house was.  I figured there must be some reference to his address somewhere.

After about an hour I did come up with this one photograph on Flickr.  It did not include the address though.  I could see the house number was 28.  The foreground of the photo had a bench and wrought iron fence so I knew that it was taken from a park across the street.   St. Laurent is the dividing line between East and West streets so the low house number matched as did the park location.  I went back to Google and their maps with street view.  I took a virtual "walk" around the parks on either side of St. Laurent.  I found it on the third try. 

It turns out this is in a smaller area within The Plateau known as Little Portugal and the park is a tiny one, hardly an acre in size, named Parc du Portugal.  I made plans to go out the next day and take the twenty minute walk to check it out.  However, Toni was skeptical and wanted some sort of proof that this was indeed the correct house.  I went back to researching and came up with this video interview.  I had my definitive proof in first 30 seconds.  There was nothing to dispute.  Check it out.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHqbIuN1diE&feature=related

As you can see it is a modest house in an area that has not yet been gentrified.  Now, with the address in hand I was able to find even more information.  He bought the duplex and the adjoining building in the 1970s for only $7000 and he has never remodelled or renovated.  It still has the original kitchen cabinets and claw foot tub.  Being a Buddhist he lives very simply.  He splits his time here with another house in Los Angeles and I have read that it is in a similar neighbourhood and just as modest.  No Rock Star life for him. He even lets a Buddhist temple use the other building rent free.

Here are a few photos we took of the house and area including the next street "Marie-Anne Est" and his corner liquor store.  Perhaps drawing different kinds of inspirations for songs from both.  Just think of all the songs that came out of this little corner of the world.

Our Summer In Montreal

This is just a quick post to update you.  We have been in Montreal for just a little over two weeks.  Just getting settled into our three month stay.  We are in a hybrid apartment/hotel building.  I think it is from the 1960s but it is being totally made over to meet today's standards.  It is located in a neighbourhood of Montreal known as The Plateau which just east of McGill University and west of the St. Laurent entertainment district.  We are on the 12th floor and have an outstanding view of the St. Lawrence River and from our rooftop we also have a great view of The Mount, Mont-Real.  We are in one of the few midrises as most of the area is filled with walk ups that are very similar in style to what you see in Greenwich Village or the Upper West Side of Manhattan.  They have an added characteristic of curving wrought iron staircases on the fronts of the buildings to directly access the upper floor apartments.

We have been spending most of our time setting up the household and communications, locating grocery stores, restaurants, bank, liquor store, etc.  There have been a few bumps and we have found there are a couple of things we could use that are in storage in Toronto.  But overall we have what we need and very little that we don't need.  All in one suitcase, one carry-on, two briefcases.

Here are a few photos of the place and the views.