St. Patrick's Day and Cacao 70

Gee, what am I doing posting photos of St. Patrick's Day when it was over ages ago eh? :p But I still say, better late than never! And it was the very first St. Patrick's Day festivities that I'd been a part of. If watching a parade can be considered "being a part of". Who would've thought that it every year St. Patty's is a ginormous deal in Montreal? The St. Patrick's Parade has run ANNUALLY in Montreal since 1824 rain/snow/shine, REGARDLESS OF THE WEATHER. And we're talking even amidst snowstorms in the depths of a Montreal winter. That's serious business.

(HUGEST St. Patrick I have ever seen)

Lucky for me, this year's parade started off just down the street from where I stayed! :) So I was able to weave my way to the front (Montrealers are so nice. Especially to short Asian girls who plead their way through) right behind the barricade for a pretty great view of the parade - which consisted of mainly floats and marching bands. 





Not too sure what a capsicum was doing in the parade... but I took a picture of it because I thought it was cute. :p Notice how all my photos have pretty much the same composition because I remained rooted at the front of the parade most of the time. 






I definitely thought this Shamrock mascot was a real winner too! :) 


Truth be told, I didn't stay on all the way to the end. That was the week of absolute FREAK weather experienced in Montreal - when the temperature suddenly shot up to 20 - 23 degrees C from just 3 - 5 degrees C the day or two before. I was thrilled for the most part but then there were times when it got SO hot... I just had to walk off into a nice air-conditioned cafe for some ice cream. 


So I ended up going to Cacao 70, an INCREDIBLE chocolate dessert cafe that was also right around the corner from where I stayed. There was just so much good food in Montreal that I only ended up going in there once! :( Can't quite believe it when I think back. 



It could have been that I was absolutely famished, but this tuna sandwich was SO GOOD. One of the best I've eaten in fact!! Of course, the toast was warm, crispy and BUTTERY on the inside. All the things that make bread perfect. It was such a good sandwich that I ended up learning to use the same ingredients to make my own sandwiches for school. All you need is TUNA, MAYO, CELERY (for that extra juicy crunch)(and to feel a little healthier), CHERRY TOMATOES (halved). Mix the ingredients up in a bowl and then sandwich in between two slices of buttered toast. PERFECT :DD I haven't made that since coming back to Singapore so looking at these photos and thinking back to those days makes me want to make it again. 



LEFT: I loved their cupboard display. And there were books customers could borrow too for a quiet read sipping on hot cacao. :) What could be better?


RIGHT: I was over-reaching on this one, but I REALLY craved something cold and creamy. :) And it was a Chocolate bar for heaven's sake. I couldn't leave without at least trying one of their desserts. This was a chocolate and raspberry parfair with vanilla and chocolate ice cream. SIGH. Why don't they have chocolate bars in SG? They'd be such a great hit here, especially if the prices are as affordable as those in Montreal. 



Their famous CHOCOLATE PIZZA!! I should've gone back there with my roommate and though we had talked about it... we just never ended up doing it! You should definitely try this out though if you're ever in Montreal. Because it's supposed to be their star dish. :P 

Cacao 70

2087 Rue St. Catherine O Montréal, 

QC H3H 1M6 

(514) 933-1688 

http://cacao70.ca/ 

From what I've read on websites, Cacao70 is the alternative to the extremely well-known Juliette et Chocolat chocolate dessert cafe chain. But both are equally good. Juliette et Chocolat is a must-try too because there are SO many flavors to choose from. I think there are more desserts as well, while Cacao70 has more savory options on its menu. But the plus point about Cacao70 is that because it's less famous/less touristy, it's less crowded, has a nice quiet ambience, and you're more likely to get a seat at any time of the day. :) It's a MUST-TRY. 

Schwartz's

Schwartz's is like the Montreal equivalent of NYC's Katz's Delicatessen. Naturally, it's on every tourist's must-try list and it's also one place that commonly gets mentioned by locals when you ask them for good food to try in Montreal. :) Opened in 1928, it's a Hebrew deli that is also apparently the oldest Deli in the whole of Canada and has been frequented by tons of famous people (including Tim Allen, The Rolling Stones, Celine Dion, Angelina Jolie...you get the picture).



I've had the chance to try both but it's definitely hard to come to a conclusion regarding which one's better for their smoked meat sandwiches. First of all, I tried Katz's like 4 or 5 years ago. Can't quite remember what it tasted like though I do remember being VERY pleased with the soft, salty meat in my Katz's sandwich. So in retrospect, I might be inclined to say that the Schwartz's sandwich I tried wasn't as good as the one from Katz's because both the meat and the bread was more dry, requiring a bit more effort to chow down. But really, I think it all boils down to personal preference. As the saying goes, when in Rome, do as Romans do. When in Montreal, sink your teeth into a smoked meat sandwich at Schwartz's. When in NYC, make Katz's a stop on your culinary trail. They're different and just can't really be compared, much like apples vs oranges. I'm just glad we have both in the world! :D

Schwart'z (Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen) 

3895 St-Laurent Montreal, 

QC H2W 1X9, Canada 

(514) 842-4813

One great thing about eating at the counter at Schwartz's? You get a good view of everything that goes into the making of your sandwich. It's kinda scary to see how MASSIVE those chunks of smoked meats are before they're sliced to be put into sandwiches. And look at Mr. Muscle here easily lifting both up. Kudos to him! Which reminds me, he insisted I send him the photos to the Schwartz's corporate email. ;p I wonder if he'd find it strange if I sent it now...coming to about 3 months after being there. We'll see.

Marché Jean-Talon

Back to my Montreal photos (of which there is still a sizeable few hundreds to go through!). I'm really aiming to go through as many photos as possible in the next 2 weeks since it's the last 2 weeks of my relatively hassle-free period of electives. After that will be a major reality check as I move on into final year. Absolutely dreading it with each day that passes. But in the meantime, I'm having a good time these days - baking a lot :D, attempting to increase my repertoire of dishes that I can cook (which is an easy feat, since it used to be close to zero), spending time with my mum and sis who both came back from their vacation just a few days back... I just wish I had more time for everything, you know? 


But back to the topic at hand. Montreal has 4 major public markets, all of which are great tourist attractions. :D The largest and most famous one would have to be Jean-Talon Market. When I was in Montreal from early March to May, it was still around the end of winter moving into early Spring, so unfortunately, the outdoor part of the market hadn't been set up yet. It took me a few weeks to realize that the outdoor market wasn't in full swing only because it wasn't the right season/weather yet, rather than because I was always there too late in the afternoon. (It took me one painful attempt at waking up early in the morning to go to the market to realize that fact!) Apparently, around the time that I left in mid May, they were just starting to open up the outdoor section of the market. SIGH. Next time, go when Spring is in full bloom!! 

 

Aren't the colors just gorgeous? :) I was so happy just snapping away and admiring all the vibrant colors of the fruits and vegetables for sale. Of course I looked like a typical tourist but who cares when there are so many moments to capture!

I love tomatoes. :D Especially when you can still the vines attached. I've come to realize that one of my favorite sensations is using my fingers to dig out the seedy inner pulp of a cold tomato that's just been taken out of the refrigerator. Just one of those things. Don't over-think it.






Left: The famous gelateria -- Havre-aux-Glaces. Every single Tourism-related website/blog with Montreal food recommendations will tell you to go here. They have a ton of unique flavors, and during that time they had maple syrup gelato of course! But I remember going for something else...citrusy. :) 
Right: A store next door selling a gazillion types of condiments. Let's think about the Ifs. If I spoke French/If I lived in Montreal/If I could go to Jean-Talon Market every weekend to get my groceries and go into this store to ask about the condiments/sauces/oils etc that I need... OH JOY. 





Left: One thing I really miss about Montreal is how it's such a bicycle-friendly city. :) If only Singapore could devote some money into create bicycle paths around the city. But I know it's so much harder to do with a city as densely populated with both humans and cars. Singaporean drivers are NOT friendly to cyclists. And the weather is too damn hot and humid to make cycling around enjoyable for the average, non-masochistic triathlete. 


Right: My gelato! :) A teeny cup worth. 



MMM. And one thing you absolutely have to do if you go to Jean Talon Market is to check out one of the Première Moisson outlets that's right outside the main market. It's one of the famous chain bakeries in Montreal and like a lot of the locals say, even though it's a chain, it still makes hell of a lot of awesome bread. Apparently their olive bread is really good but I only tried some of their croissants and tarts. This one above is a MAPLE SYRUP croissant. :) I assumed it was only available during that time because it was the sugaring off season. Plus, the lady behind the counter told me it was a crowd-favorite. I didn't really pick up much French when I was in Montreal (though it would've been the perfect place to learn!) because everyone was so freakishly/effectively bilingual, but I did learn to recognize that something with --> D'ERABLE meant that there was maple syrup inside. :D 




A great moment that day was simply sitting on a bench outside the market, munching on my gelato, enjoying the music played by these very talented buskers. There were quite a few people sitting around on the pavement, mothers with their children (some of whom were actually cycling around in circles! :D), elderly men and women taking a rest after doing their grocery shopping, teenagers just lolling around... It was a great feeling to be a part of something - something as simple as a group of people taking things slow and enjoying the little pleasures in life together. 


xx

Cluny Artbar

An afternoon in Montreal that I'll probably never forget. 
It's also the afternoon I got majorly lost.




Left: Minestrone soup from Cluny ArtBar. 
Right: Passed by a random building on my quest to find the cafe. I do like the forest green color against the backdrop of brick-red. 


 I'd read online about Cluny ArtBar - this great cafe which garnered rave reviews for set lunches and brunches and which also happens to be connected to an exhibition hall that's all part of The Darling Foundry, Visual Arts Centre. I figured it would be an all-in-one afternoon; great lunch at the cafe, followed by a visit to the exhibition that would probably showcase some interesting artwork by contemporary Montreal artists. It's listed online as a popular spot for local office workers which is the perfect statement to make one think that it's probably in the middle of the business district to cater to office workers in the surrounding financial buildings, yes?? WRONG. It was literally in the middle of nowhere (to me at least)! I remember walking alone across deserted parking lots, hearing my footsteps echo resoundingly as my boots crunched into the bits of slush and snow that still covered most of the streets at the time, and traipsing past deserted looking buildings, along silent streets without seeing any other person. I'm sure it wouldn't have been so bad if my data plan hadn't run out that day and I wasn't relying solely on screen captures of the area from the Maps app. I do remember passing by some random guy who was looking at his iPhone and thinking, is he completely lost and referring his Maps app as well?? Looks like I'll never know.



Smoked Salmon sandwich. It was actually pretty average but it was also one of the few things left on their menu at that time. I'd gone on a Friday afternoon at around 3 or so and apparently they'd run out of their usual lunch sets. :( So I probably didn't end up trying whatever they're famous for. (Or so I hope)(So next time I'll give the cafe another shot if I ever go back to Montreal. Which I'm DYING TO DO!)









I think we tend to be a lot more forgiving of ourselves when we're on holiday. Perhaps it has to do with being away from most things in life that define us. Probably also because when we're on vacation we're away from whatever deadlines we tend to be rushing for. And when something goes awry, there's the feeling that so many other things take a toll as a consequence. 

If I get lost when on a holiday however, I'm not so harsh on myself. I take my time, fold my map up and place it into my bag. I take a good, slow look at my surroundings...and take a few more photos. People-watch. And it's all ok. Drifting, or so it's called. Moving along without a plan, taking in whatever Serendipity sends my way. 

xx

Montreal in March

The one thing I'll always sort of chide myself for is not really having researched beforehand about Montreal before I'd applied to do my elective there late last year. :p There were only a few things I knew -- 1. McGill is a great university 2. Montreal is in Canada 3. Everyone who's been to Montreal has said it's an amazing place. And with that, I applied to do 2 months of electives there! :) Pretty reckless bold eh? It was only after I'd got accepted that I actually did some googling, namely "weather in Montreal", and only when I saw the digits "-10" did my jaw drop and the question, "What the hell have I gotten myself into??" actually entered my mind. But weather apart, Montreal was FANTASTIC. :) And in fact, at the end of the day, I'm actually glad that I went in March and April because it's not the peak tourist season at all, so it was easy for me to get around. Streets and metros weren't crowded, bakeries weren't extremely packed... And it was the season for sugaring off. It just seems like at any particular time of the year there's always something special to do/look forward to. That's the beauty of being in a place with seasons. 


So here are some photos from the very first week when I went there. My mum had accompanied me to settle me in :D so there are a couple of photos of her in her big Eskimo coat. My sis and I tease her incessantly about it. 
This beautiful building is the City Hall (Hôtel de Ville de Montréal) in Old Montreal or Vieux Montreal. Isn't it gorgeous? :) Horse-drawn carriages! Apparently it's a great experience but I always have a feeling that it's a tourist rip-off. Left: The Pointe-à-Callière museum right in the heart of Old Montreal. It's a great museum to go to at the start of your trip because one of the main highlights is a 20 minute long multimedia show (OMNIMAX style) about the beginnings of Montreal. Plus it comes in about 7 or 8 different languages with a flick of a switch on your headset.
Right: Someone came down from the North pole. :) Maple Syrup tart at Les Délices de l'Érable. This specialty store is pretty famous in Montreal and it's got Maple Syrup EVERYTHING. Maple Syrups of different strengths, maple syrup cookies, maple syrup ice cream among others... A must-go for first timers! Prices are probably a little more expensive too given that it's a specialty store but it's one of the really convenient places to get souvenir snacks when you're hard-pressed for time. I ended up coming here again the day before my flight back to get a whole bunch of maple syrup and snacks for friends and family.  Place Jacque Cartier. I was pretty shocked to see just these huge random blocks of ice. It wasn't snowing or anything so why on earth were they there and in such HUGE ass hunks?? Obviously I'm not well-versed in such natural phenomenons in winter so... away I snapped with my camera. It's a great area to go to during the weekends with plenty of people just milling around, taking a rest at the benches or watching pretty kick-ass street performers doing their thing. A maple syrup stall! I wonder if they only have these in the Winter-Spring period? But these sell a lot of maple syrup snacks, especially the archetypal maple syrup taffy made syrup that's poured onto ice which freezes it quickly and it's then curled onto a stick. Bit too much sugar for my liking. Lunch at a random cafe my mum and I ducked into before going for a play at a theatre nearby. Hot Chocolate and Coffee just takes WAY awesome when you're dying from the cold. Another view of the City Hall. :) I just love it.

some things you don't forget

Hoooooo boy. 


It's been a looooong time since I last updated and that's always how it seems to go! But sometimes I feel that they more busy you are with life, the less time you have for blogging, and that can be a good thing as well, no? Most of the free time in Montreal was spent exploring and taking tons of photographs with the notion that I would get to editing them eventually when I got back to Singapore. Why waste precious time in Montreal editing there? Well, now I'm back. :(( MAJOR SIGH. But that's life. I just got back 2 days ago and after an awesome night celebrating my grandparents' 65th anniversary, I'm more or less settled down and ready to start diving into stuff again. 


The next few posts (and I think it's going to be quite a lot!) are going to be all Montreal related. :D I've got a gazillion photos of wonderful places that I visited in Montreal and will be coming up with a list of MUST-DOs/MUST-SEEs. It's such an amazing place and I really want to go back there again hopefully soon! But this time, I'll do my research well and go during the right months. March and April were really meh months in terms of the weird fluctuating weather. The next time it'll be July during the JAZZ FESTIVAL. :D Excited already. 


But back to the topic at hand.

 

I'm so happy just reminiscing about moments spent in Montreal. This was the first tea I had over there. And by "tea", I really just mean any meal after lunch and before dinner but it doesn't have to involve the drinking of tea per se. We were waiting to meet up with my housemate for the first time and since we didn't have enough time to find a proper restaurant, we merely walked around the apartment building where she stayed and went into the first legit looking cafe on the main street, St Catherine. My mum ordered a Croque Monsieur (and I finally figured out what that was!) while I had a shepherd's pie. For those of you who don't know, Croque Monsieur is basically just a Ham & Cheese croissant but sometimes a baguette is used instead. :D I'd always heard about it/seen it in books but never really knew what it was. And I liked it soooo much more than my shepherd's pie that was a little on the burnt side. The Croque Monsieur had a really crispy, buttery, flaky croissant that went so well with the saltiness of the pieces of ham. After that, I was pretty much hooked. That was the first of a GAZILLION teas to come. 


I wouldn't say that it was the best cafe I've been into because most of the dishes (hot chocolate/shepherd's pie/latte etc)(except for that awesome Croque Monsieur) were pretty average. But I'll remember it because it was the very first cafe we ducked into, completely by chance, and it was small, dimly lit, cosy, and provided warmth from the immensely cold weather outside. 

La Croissanterie 

 1909 rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest, 

Montreal, Quebec H3H 1M3, Canada  

If you're used to tropical heat, early March is NOT a good time to visit Montreal. The temperature hovers around -5 to 0 degrees Celsius. And apparently it was the warmest winter they've had this year. Don't say I didn't warn you. ;)