1. FOOD: MONTREAL
—Nora Gray Restaurant
Young professionals, artists and Montréal’s established community will enjoy having a weekend bite at Nora Gray, a new eatery on St Jacques Street just north of the Griffintown area. The brainchild of locals Ryan Gray, Emma Cardarelli (both were part of the Joe Beef family of restaurants for the past four years) and Lisa McConnell, a New York School of Interior Design graduate, Nora Grey delivers simple southern Italian cuisine in an elegant setting. The grilled sardines served on country toast with lemon marmalade and bitter greens or the whole suckling pig with a fennel stuffing are the perfect pick-me-ups after a night out on the town.
1391 St Jacques, Montréal. Open daily. For reservations: +1 (514) 419 66 72
2. GALLERY: LONDON
—The Vinyl Factory Chelsea
The Vinyl Factory’s new gallery space in Chelsea has just opened with the inaugural photo exhibition, ‘When the Night Falls’. The exhibit is the first solo show by photographers Warren Du Preez and Nick Thornton Jones and features a series of new works that question all accepted notions of beauty. An added bonus for art and music-lovers is the new collaboration between the duo and the gallery curator, James Lavelle (founder of UNKLE) – a limited edition vinyl, ‘When the Night Falls’, also on sale at the gallery.
93 Walton Street, London. Open Tuesday to Saturday 11.00-19.00, Sunday 12.00-18.00. ‘When the Night Falls’ is on display until 9 October 2011
3. RETAIL: SINGAPORE
—Louis Vuitton Island
This weekend caps the first week’s trade for the new Louis Vuitton Island in Singapore. The standalone store that rises up in glass and steel from the waters of Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands resort is designed by Canada-based architect Moshe Safdie. With the breadth of Louis Vuitton’s autumn/winter collection in store and interiors fitted by Andy Warhol cohort Peter Marino, this could be a busy trip on both the eye and the wallet.
Luis Vuitton Island, B1-38 & B2-36, Crystal Pavilion North, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. Open Sunday to Thursday 10.00-23.00, Friday and Saturday 10.00-24.00
4. FILM FESTIVAL: JERSEY
—Branchage Film Festival
Now in its fourth year, Branchage Film Festival brings the very best of world cinema to some rather unlikely venues on the Channel Islands. Programme highlights include Joanna Hogg’s Archipelago – although released last year, it is completely apt for this island setting. Other must-see is Xavier Beauvois’ Of Gods and Men whose religiosity and sense of isolation is magnificently amplified by its screening in a French Catholic Church.
Branchage Box Office, Unit 17, Liberty Wharf, St Helier, Jersey. Until 25 September
5. EXHIBITION: NEW YORK
—Ramos by Julio Bittencourt
Now on show at the 1500 Gallery, Brazilian photographer Julio Bittencourt’s latest exhibition captures the spirit of Ramos, a salt-water lake located amid the shantytowns of Rio de Janeiro. Bittencourt’s camera narrows in on eccentric characters and care-free kids enjoying a favorite Brazilian pastime: the beach.
1500 Gallery, 511 West 25th Street #607, New York. Open Tuesday to Saturday 12.00-18.00 or by appointment. Until 28 January