an afternoon in the old port

On a hot afternoon lately, I spent some time wandering the historic streets of old Montreal. The architecture in this part of the city is so appealing to me - there is such a sense of timelessness. When it was too hot to wander, my husband and I met up to see the amazing the new Cirque du Soleil show, Amaluna. It was really beautiful, and the physical skills of the performers were just awe-inspiring. Every since, I have been working on my handstand!

marché jean-talon

One of the many things that I love about Montreal is the Jean-Talon Market. While it is open all year round, during the summer and fall local producers fill the market with their fruits, vegetables, and artisanal products. The market also is the best place to go to buy seedlings to ensure your own backyard harvest, and flowering plants to improve the view!

jazz fest

We've been spending our free time lately down at Place-des-Arts, where the Montreal Jazz Fest is in full swing until July 7th. And by jazz I mean jazzy rock, jazzy blues, jazzy pop.. you get the idea. There are also some acrobats thrown in for good measure (seriously). I love it all.

montreal weekends

Last weekend the F1 was in town. I am really not into cars but I do love anything that leads the city to close roads to cars! While most of the car people were downtown, a good part of St Laurent was closed, as was Mont-Royal for the Nuit Blanche sure Table Noir festival. I love crowds of people spilling into the streets... I was so excited to do it again this weekend.

street art

One of the things that I love about Montreal is the street art. Every alley hides something new.

spa scandinave

Every once and a while, we all need to feel truly taken care of and relaxed. That might mean a yoga class, pizza delivery and a good movie, staying in bed on a sunday morning.

This past year I have discovered the spa scandinave. By cycling between hot (hot tub, steam room, and sauna), cold (ice cold, frigid dunking pool or equally cold shower), and rest, the circulatory system is spurred into action and a feeling of deep relaxation sets in. I admit, I don't exactly understand why it works, but trust me, it does! After perhaps the third cycle, it feels like mint is flowing through my veins and my mind is incredibly peaceful. They recently opened a location in Montreal - there are others in Mont-Tremblant and elsewhere in Canada. 

Montreal love

We will probably not live in Montreal forever. However each year we spend in this city, the more I realize how much it is our home. It is the place I met my husband, the place I made so many important friendships. No matter where I am, Montreal will be such a special place for me. Having my sister visit recently reaffirmed how much I love it here - just walking around with her and a camera was such a delight.

a night out

While my sister was visiting us, my husband and I took her out to a restaurant in our neighborhood, Plateau Mont-Royal. We have been to La Salle à Manger a few times now, and we always have a great evening!

Since we were celebrating, we enjoyed an apéro ... two kir royals for us and a manhattan for him.

Lots of interesting things on the menu...

 We were so glad we started with the smoked salmon - it was amazing! It was served on a salad of shaved fennel and dill with yogurt sauce.

After a long dinner we ordered a dessert to share. We asked for a sparkler while the husband was away from the table, just because!

La Salle à Manger is a great place to go in the Plateau area of Montreal, especially if you don't mind waiting a while for things to come out of the kitchen. They have lots of interesting wines, and in fact it would be a perfect place to come for a date or late night drinks and snacks. The atmosphere is boisterous and relaxed, and the food is good. What a great night out in one of my favorite cities with two of my favorite people!

March sun.

It has been hard to believe these last few days that it is only March. I was not alone on a stroll through Parc Lafontaine, but nestled between benches of people reading and lunching are small piles of entrenched snow!