We underutilized our kitchen by using it only to fetch cups and store bagels in the fridge. We found this place using Airbnb, which I highly recommend it [...]]]> I scrambled to take photos of our Montréal apartment as we were checking out. Putting things off to the last second, literally, is an unfortunate forté of mine.

We underutilized our kitchen by using it only to fetch cups and store bagels in the fridge. We found this place using Airbnb, which I highly recommend it to travelers and would absolutely use again. It gave us SO much flexibility, and was more affordable and comfortable than squeezing our things into a hotel room. The immediate neighborhood was full of people drinking coffee on balconies overlooking the street, cafés, and bakeries, rather than skyscrapers and banks like most of the giant corporate hotels downtown.

This store, General 54, was one of such stores just a block or two from our place. It stocks the prettiest items from local Montréal artists - I bought a shirt here and it’s my new favorite.

Another store full of knick knacks and a trick pony.

We left Montréal on Tuesday. That morning, we drove up to the highest point in Mont-Royal, which has observatories along the way. That flat spaceship-looking thing is Olympic Stadium.

The very highest point is quite residential, actually, with some of the most decadent and prolific houses I’ve ever seen. There’s also a bit of a forest.

Looks like The Sims, right?

Went down the mountain, back into downtown and to Olivier Potier where one entire wall is full of artisan breads and on the other, indulgent pastries. 

Sunday morning immediately following my last post, we walked to Lawrence for brunch. It opened at [...]]]> The last time I checked the weather before packing last weekend, the forecast predicted temperatures in the mid 50s (F) with a moderate chance of showers. In reality, the past two days have been in the mid-70s to 80s with abundant sunshine!

Sunday morning immediately following my last post, we walked to Lawrence for brunch. It opened at 10, and we arrived at 9:50 to find a family already waiting for them to open. The parents were so excited when Dan and I mentioned we were visiting from Philadelphia, turns out they lived there for a year in 1976 and loved it. We chatted for a few more minutes until the doors opened. After everyone who had been waiting outside had been seated, the whole place was packed.

My dish didn’t photograph nicely, but Dan’s fared well: poached eggs, salmon and spinach atop a homemade English muffin. Lawrence did not disappoint!

After brunch, we walked past Mont Royal, a large mountain and park in the center if Montreal (also, namesake). There was an outdoor party named Tam Tam starting up. We made our way to Notre Dame Ouest, which is lined with antique and vintage stores.First we passed a place named ta.

I’ve been picking up a few things about Montreal – the drivers are much nicer than Philadelphia ones, though street parking makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, everybody is helpful and approachable, and many of the cafes look like nightclubs.Okay, then we were in Old Montreal, which was so pretty and so touristy.Here I am with a deceivingly miserable face on; I was actually feeling more like this: Went to the Plateau neighborhood for more explorations and dinner. Afterwards, we stumbled into Juliette & Chocolat, which serves every kind of chocolate and chocolate+other tasty thing permutation imaginable. Lots of people were seated and drinking hot chocolate with one another.

By the time we got back to our apartment I was so exhausted that I passed out for an hour. Woke up, rallied, and went to the Royal Phoenix a few blocks away to try their veggie poutine. We hadn’t had any poutine up until this point! Food is such a strong motivator.

It looked like this and it was gone in about 60 seconds. Then we meandered through the neighborhood for some more time, saw more interesting things.

It’s been less than 24 hours since I arrived here with my boyfriend Dan for a week long stay in Quebec. As I write this, we’re at a sports espresso bar close to the apartment where we’re staying, and it’s also 8:30am! Bonjour, indeed. We rented an apartment [...]]]> HI! I’m writing to you from Montreal, Quebec!

It’s been less than 24 hours since I arrived here with my boyfriend Dan for a week long stay in Quebec. As I write this, we’re at a sports espresso bar close to the apartment where we’re staying, and it’s also 8:30am! Bonjour, indeed. We rented an apartment here for a few days, and I thought I’d give a brief update.  We left by car on Friday afternoon, stayed in lovely Vermont with lovely Ellington that night, and arrived in Montreal shortly after noon yesterday. Dan had a grueling set of finals for the past two weeks, so immediately following his last exam on Friday morning, we hopped in the car and he drove us the entire way up north. (!!)

We drove up to the apartment, paused to swoon a little, then as soon as our bags hit the floor we left to get thai massages. Seriously the best thing ever after long travels. Then we took a pretty slow afternoon to explore a bit of the neighborhoods and visit a museum – I’ll fill in these blanks later.

Our first meal in the city was dinner at Foodlab. Foodlab is located on the top floor of La Société des arts technologiques, a research lab/organization in Montreal. The restaurant is a non-profit that I believe is partially publicly funded to bring delicious and experimental cuisine!

The steps leading up to the restaurant are designed to look like stars. You can see the shadows of the very impractical shoes I was wearing.

There were few people when we got there, but it filled up pretty soon after. I loved the open kitchen layout.

Hello Dan.

Later in the evening we made a new friend, Charles Olivier. He is fantastic.