the starting line

la nuit

Hello my sweets! Sorry about the delay. Where was I? Ah, yes... last Saturday night :). As I mentioned in the last post, we tried, quite unsuccessfully, to make reservations at  Le Garde-Manger. In our final attempt, we became friends with the bouncer who suggested we come back around 11:30 when they were no longer serving food. Both of us had heard such great things that we agreed, and then walked back up rue St-François-Xavier to fulfill our sushi craving.

TaTami Sushi Bar looked perfect! The interiors were modern and fun with Japanese accents and they served all of the raw fish and seaweed that I'd hoped for with blog-worthy plating technique.

Our table was even a fish tank! Yep, I said it ;) a fish tank. K, a bio major (who has been doing research with fish) and soon-to-be med student was thrilled. 

Unfortunately, I was not too pleased with the meal. I ordered a seaweed salad to start (got to take advantage of these sea vegetables when you can) and was only able to enjoy half of it. For some reason it began to gross me out as each bite went down, I blame it on the slimy factor. Ew.

Then came out my sushi platter. It was pleasing to the eye but only tasted mediocre. My favorite part was that churro-like cracker-ish thing with sugar in the corner :).

K's selection was pretty too... but still, it was hardly the best sushi that we've ever had. Definitely a one time deal. Have you had a negative sushi experience? Where?

Anyway, rest assured we made up for the bust of a dinner with a fabulous night. Our first stop was Barraco. We arrived at 9:30 a.k.a. there was a great number of people still having their meals so we sat at the bar. Best. Idea. Ever. The wonderful bartender, who became our best friend, started us off with a glass of wine and a plate of cheese. This is what 60 grams of heaven looks like...

We ate it with French bread, of course, and then, finally satisfied, got to socializing with more drinks in hand.

With one good spontaneous choice after another we not only had fun but met so many great people. We had gotten "pretty" that night so that may explain the male attention, but seriously, have you ever gone out with a girlfriend and befriended another group of girls?

We did. And apparently I filmed them with their flaming drinks :).

From Barroco to Santos and finally to La Distillerie,

our glimpse into Montreal's nightlife was absolutely, positively, incroyable. I think I've figured out how to ensure a good time no matter where you are: a positive attitude, quality food and drinks, nice people, fun music, and interesting conversation. 

The next morning, after breakfast, packing, and check-out, we drove up to le Parc Mont-Royal for a few photographs of the city from above. Despite a mild hang-over, I felt on top of the world.

'Twas one of the best Friday to Sunday getaways ever. And on that note, I hope you have an amazing weekend ahead! My parents are visiting for a wine tour so I'm optimistic that I will... again ;).

Montréal, Je me souviens... 

an essential walking tour

Deep. Breaths. Ahhh. Today was insanity and tomorrow looks like it will be very much so as well. Apparently dropping everything and hopping across the border for the weekend is not the most responsible thing to do... oops? ;) But really. So, because I probably "shouldn't" be blogging, I've decided to simply let you take my walking tour. Ça marche? 

Let's go!- Walk through the lively Quartier Latin to Sherbrooke,

Take a left towards the international McGill University,

and absorb all that is derivatives of the French and the English dans le Centre-Ville,

You'll know you're almost at McGill when you pass the Music Building and Queen Victoria,

Admire the Roddick Gates that form the entrance to the university,

Walk around the lower campus and giggle at the statue of the late founder, McGill,

Get jealous of the students' off-campus housing opportunities, 

Walk east until you reach Boulevard St-Laurent,

Turn right on St.Laurent, a street where immigrants of all stripes first get a toehold to the city, 

Also feel free to stray away from it for a moment and experience the graffiti québécois,

Spend a bit to much money in the many trendy boutiques and thrift stores,

Be amazed at the many Portuguese influences (like that found in le Parc du Portugal), and then realize that you've been walking the wrong direction,

Turn around, but only after purchasing the priceless one-of-a-kind dress that fits like a glove,

Continue back until you reach Rue Prince Arthur. 

It is at this point a pedestrian mall so you'll be walking past many outdoor cafés, 

Thank the sky for not raining,

Continue along Prince Arthur until you reach St.-Louis Square,

Imagine living in a square that surrounds a fountain as pretty as this one,

Stop for a photo-op with a traveling companion and best friend,

Cross the Square to Rue St.-Denis and turn right,

Be a mature tourist and imitate the position of any figures that you may pass,

Go back through le Quartier Latin with a quick de-tour to Chinatown,

Return to St-Denis towards Vieux-Montréal so that you may stop into the Crêpe Café for lunch,

Order whatever caffeinated beverages will help you continue on your way,

Fall in love with the adorable creamer and consider taking it home with you, 

Savor your French-pressed black coffee

with a crêpe sucre like the Deja-Vu that is served with whipped cream and Nutella, 

Enter Vieux-Montreal and feel as though you've been whisked back to Paris,

Marvel at the work of many artists and galleries,

Recall a decadent lunch with French friends on your last Montréal excursion (2 years ago),

Enjoy speaking to bilingual vendors who often say "eh?",

Feel like you can touch a part of history in the stonework,

Make plans to return to this magical place again some day,

Entertain the idea of purchasing a bottle of wine for later, instead take a glance at the port,

As you head back, appreciate the many parks and planted trees, 

Take a picture of columns and clocks for no real reason at all,

You're not going to be able to resist otherwise so just stumble into Les Glaceurs already,

Stop by la basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal because it's like nothing you've ever seen before (even if you do acknowledge that Western Europe has burnt you out cathedral-wise),

Photograph "Wall Street" because the Canadian dollar is currently better than the American one,

Try to make dinner plans at the most innovative of French-Canadian cuisine, Le Garde-Manger. There's a good chance that you'll fail but do not despair... I can and I will tell you all about the fabulous nightlife next time :). Have a great night everyone!