The Grapevine goes to a Grand Prix Party

Ever since I started covering the Canadian F1 Grand Prix in my Grapevine column seven years ago, I usually narrowed my focus to the street festivities that took place in the downtown core, usually on St. Laurent Boulevard and on Peel and Crescent streets (and all the excitement along St. Catherine Street in between).


I never had a ticket to catch the time trials or the actual race at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, nor received any invitations to attend some of the parties that were taking place in many of Montreal's ritziest clubs and hotels. Basically, I was on the outside looking in.

However, that all changed this year.

Last week, I received an invitation to attend an exclusive Grand Prix party at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in downtown Montreal, which took place on June 6 and was hosted by the hotel, along with Infiniti Canada and the Red Bull racing team, which won last year's F1 Championship Trophy, which was basically as a way of saying thank you for the advance item I did about the party a few weeks earlier in my Montreal Times column.

So armed with my pen, notebook and camera, and smartly dressed for the occasion, I arrived at the Ritz just after 7 p.m. with revolving spotlights shining, a coterie of valet parkers waiting to take your car, and an army of paparazzi waiting to snap away with their cameras. And let me tell you, those eager camera people were not disappointed, as a variety of Montreal celebrities graced the party with their presence. There was Mayor Denis Coderre, Just For Laughs founder Gilbert Rozon, Just For Laughs COO Bruce Hills, Quebec singer and broadcaster Mitsou, Olympic figure skating medalist Joannie Rochette, 925 The Beat morning show co-hosts Cat Spencer and Sarah Bartok, CJAD afternoon drive host Aaron Rand, Gazette social columnist Jennifer Campbell and broadcaster Chantal Desjardins.

However, there were three Montreal celebrities who took the longest time to make their way from the hotel lobby to its Oval Room, where the party's nerve center was situated. Montreal Canadiens superstar defenceman P.K. Subban,  comedian Sugar Sammy and UFC champion Georges St. Pierre. From the moment they stepped out of their cars in front of the Ritz, the three graciously signed autographs, posed for pictures with fans, did impromptu on camera media interviews, and chatted with many of the guests before they got the chance to experience what the party was all about (Sammy, whom I met for the first time 10 years ago and is now one of the hottest comics to come from Montreal, took a couple of minutes to chat with me, and remarked on how good I looked as a result of my weight loss from four years ago).

And Formula 1 fans were pleased to see in person former F1 champion and Red Bull racing ambassador David Coulthard, who was there to promote the first Canadian appearance of Infiniti's Q50 Eau Rouge concept car. He also told the audience his take on this year's Canadian Grand Prix, as well as offering praise for the city of Montreal and its citizens for making the city such a highlight on the F1 circuit. Also, spotted in the Ritz lobby around 11 p.m., was 1970s F1 champion Niki Lauda of Austria (who was one of the subjects of Ron Howard's terrific movie "Rush", which focussed on the intense F1 rivalry between him and James Hunt during the early and mid-70s).

The exclusive Grand Prix party at the Ritz Carlton Hotel attracted a sold out crowd, who paid $295 each to enjoy one of the hottest parties during Grand Prix weekend (and a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales benefitted the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation, a Montreal children's charity that the Ritz has partnered itself with). The guests quickly filled the three rooms where the party took place: The Oval Room, the Oval Terrace and the Palm Court. There was a whiskey station, a champagne bar, an oyster bar, a Nesspresso coffee counter, dessert table and a nut station with an assortment of savoury flavoured nuts courtesy of Nicolina Servello Food, a Montreal caterer and food stylist. Each corner of the Oval Room offered four different food stations that were a hit with everyone in attendance: a salumi bar, a pasta bar, a prime rib bar courtesy of Le Biftheque steakhouse (which served delicious prime rib sandwiches complete with the fixings, including mashed potatoes and dill pickles), and a meat counter serving delicious sliced pork and broiled lamb chops.

As the contented guests left the Ritz into the Grand Prix night toting gift bags courtesy of Dior, Sharp (a style magazine for men) and Infiniti, I came away feeling satisfied why Montreal and Montrealers like to throw a good party during Grand Prix weekend, although a good deal of them may not even see the actual race. As well, I am also satisfied getting the chance to experience another aspect of the Grand Prix festivities, which kicks off the festival season that defines Montreal in summer year after year.

...Now if I can only score a ticket for the race at the circuit! That's a goal that I will definitely have to set for next year's Grand Prix.

Finally, a big thank you to publicists Leisa Lee and Katia Piccolino, and Timothee Auguet and Thaddee Biegala from the Ritz Cartlon for giving me the chance to experience another aspect of Montreal's Grand Prix festivities. Let's do it again in 2015!