"Give me a piece of jewelry," the psychic said. "Something with sentimental value."

This was no dark-haired gypsy, but a friendly ash blonde from Nova Scotia who could have been anyone's favorite aunt. As she ran her fingers over one of my rings, she dispensed a good deal of aunt-like advice along with her predictions. "Something important will happen to you in July. I see the letter 'M'. Do you know anyone named Mary? Make sure you get plenty of exercise and at least eight hours of sleep and remember to take care of yourself first or you're no good to anyone else."

Well I was certainly going to take some of that advice. Here is my pespective on how to enjoy Montreal if you have an evening and at least one morning to enjoy the city.

First you'll want a place to get those eight hours of sleep. Because my course was being held at the World Trade Centre Montreal, I stayed at the Hotel Intercontinental, which is part of the complex. Just a word about the World Trade Centre itself, it's a beautiful example of one of Montreal's "indoor cities", created to escape the winter weather. Full of light and small shops and restaurants, it also incorporates a section of the Berlin Wall into its complex architecture.

The Hotel Intercontinental is in a great location right on the edge of Old Montreal. The rooms in this five star hotel are spacious and comfortable and the furnishings are a notch up from the usual. You get the feeling that the bathroom was designed by a woman who also understands men. There was dark green masculine marble with a large walk in shower and separate jetted tub - my bath was fit for a queen, or a king. It even had built in speakers so I could listen to the weather while I prepared for my day. The wrap around windows held a view of the St. Lawrence River and Habitat, the experimental housing development built by Moshe Safdie for Expo '67. The apartments, which resemble an artfully piled collection of shoeboxes, have been used as movie locations and are highly desirable real estate.

The concierge service at this hotel is outstanding. Not only can they give you all the information about Montreal that you would ever need, seeing that I was a single woman traveler, they offered to show me the areas where I probably should not go after dark - the kind of information that you really need, but often don't get. The hotel also has a gym, pool and weight room, but hey, you came here to see the city didn't you? Let's get out and walk!

Downtown Montreal is a terrific walking town. The streets are packed, both in Old Montreal and on the wide boulevards downtown, but nobody really seems to be in a hurry. This is an eye contact city, not a heads down, get out of my way kind of place. "Did you get 'the look'?" my mother-in-law asked me. Meaning, did some handsome Montreal male give you the once over from the bottom of your (hopefully) fashionable shoes to the top of your coiffure? Montrealers must be the most visual people in Canada.

If you're looking for breakfast before work, try Eggspectation. Tres chic décor, good coffee, delicious eggs and a relaxed atmosphere make a good start to the day. In Montreal there's no rushing when you're dining. You have to ask for your check, a delightful change from the "are you done yet?" of other cities. While you're at Eggspectation, you can pick up a copy of one of the free newspapers listing Montreal entertainment. They're available in French (Voir) and English (Hour), and by the way, don't worry about your high school French. Any attempts are appreciated and nearly everyone seems to be able to switch to English if they see you struggling for words.

When your work is over for the day, Old Montreal, with its cobblestone streets and European atmosphere, is the place to be. Restaurants and bars are everywhere and you can easily drop in here or there to sample the places that catch your fancy. I opted for the Casa de Mateo since I was just back from Mexico and craving some salsa. The margaritas were large, the food was wonderful and there was a six-piece mariachi band wandering from table to table, serenading us all.

After dinner, you can walk along the quay in the Old Port or take in the sound and light show at Notre-Dame Basilica. It has a bit too much fromage, but if you stick with it, the ending is truly spectacular. Bring your camera as photos are encouraged.

If you happen to be in Montreal on a Wednesday, lucky you, the Museum of Fine Arts is open until 9 p.m. at half-price. In a city full of museums and galleries, this is one you should not miss. The permanent collection includes old masters, 19^th and 20^th century art and a well considered contemporary art gallery. The Museum has buildings on both sides of Sherbrooke, but if you take the elevator down and use the underground walkway you will find an exquisite collection of pre-Columbian art and artifacts on display.

Other museums worth seeing and within walking distance include the McCord Museum of Canadian History, which often features folk art, and the Redpath Museum on the McGill Campus which houses Canada's second largest collection of Egyptian antiquities.

So, how did I wind up at the Psychic Fair? An advertisement led me to the Delta Centre-Ville where a two-day gathering of folks interested in things spiritual was taking place. After making an appointment (I always wonder why they don't just know you're coming), I met with my reader. I'm always curious to see if these predictions pan out so I've made some notes, but I'm really hoping that the "M" stands for Montreal.

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