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Well this picture just about sums up my weekend in Montreal: sunshine, hats, peanut butter m&ms and park chills.
We were there for a short 48 hours, but we managed to pack in quite a few activities. Trips to Montreal always involve some old favourites and new additions to our never-ending Montreal bucket list. It’s been exactly 3 years since I graduated from McGill so lots naturally lots of nostalgia was to be had. At the same time it was also reassuring that I’ve accomplished a couple of things since receiving my alumni status.
In addition to recapping the weekend, I figured I would throw in some of my Montreal favs for anyone who might be visiting in the future. No surprise most of them involve food 🙂
After a long train ride I arrived to a very rainy Montreal, which quite literally put a damper on our plans. Although I must admit I was more than happy once I had a glass of wine in hand from Bier Markt(who gets wine at a bier markt?!) and a wild night at the movies seeing Neighbors, which by the way was pee-your-pants hilarious!
The following morning we met up with friends at Lawrence, an absolutely delicious brunch spot. Some of my other favourite brunch spots: Chez Jose, Beauty’s and Bagels Etc.
Following brunch we bopped around Montreal watching the Habs get crushed by the Rangers. It was so sad to watch so I drowned my sorrows in Bloody Marys. Other bars that I love: Else’s, Mme Lee, and Big in Japan Bar.
I was sooooooo hungry for dinner so I went a bit overboard with the tacos at Burritoville, an awesome vegetarian Mexican restaurant. Montreal has it’s fair share of indulgent restaurants but you can also find quite a few healthy and plant-based options. My favourites include: Aux Vivres, Cafe Santropol and Crudessence.
You can’t visit Montreal without visiting the campus of my alma mater, McGill. McGill is unique in that it is a huge university in the heart of a big city but still has the most glorious fields where students can lay out on the grass and chill between classes. That is when it isn’t snowing 8 months of the year…Don’t ask me my other favourite schools, because no others exist.
Did you know that Montreal is actually built on a mountain? In the summer months the park that lines Mont Royal is taken over by hippies and their drums, which is affectionately called “Tamtams”. Even if you aren’t crunchy granola, the rest of Montreal still comes out to play for tamtams. With the glorious weather, there was absolutely no chance I was missing out.
And no visit would be complete without the best sandwich in Montreal, the camembert on an arepa from Bocadillos. I probably just got myself in trouble for saying that since most people would say the Montreal Smoked Meat sandwich from Schwartz’s is pretty epic. It is definitely delicious as are the bagels from Fairmont Bagels. I don’t care what anyone says, nothing compares to Montreal bagels.
And now here I am, watching The Avengers with C on the train. I often forget how important it is to set time aside where your attention is fully focused on the ones you love. I’m glad I was able to detach and make the most of our time in a city that will forever have my heart.
Despite all of the fun, I am looking forward to getting home and getting back on track. My body is craving some veggies!
Never been to Montreal before, but I definitely want to go! I’ve been told it has a really European feel to it, and seeing as I love Europe, I’d probably love Montreal. As far as favourite city goes… can I go with town instead? Because I’d probably pick Banff. I’m not a fan of big cities, and Banff is not only gorgeous, but holds a lot of memories for me as well. Plus, snowboarding… duh.
I’ve never been to Montreal, but that park reminds me of a similar park in Berlin! That sandwich looks delicious, and you saying bocadillo reminds me of legit bocadillos (aka sandwiches, very original name for a restaurant lol) in Madrid. I used to get mine topped with manchego. Wow do I miss manchego. Anyway, glad you had a fabulous weekend!
Aww, what a lovely weekend!! You look supercute with that hat and I LOVE your hair lady.
Berlin, New York, Zurich and San Diego. My favorite cities. I didn’t see Sydney yet but I will next March – maybe I will add it to my list – depends if Arman will spoil all the good memories.
Holy crap I miss Montreal. (I speak as if I’m a native, but I’m not. I just love it there.) We went for the jazz festival several years ago, and it was such a blast. Poutine, street performers, the Underground….*sigh*
One of my best friends who lives in Canada is going to McGill, so I’m definitely going to have to visit her!!
That sounds like such a fun weekend! I’ve never been to Montreal but I’d love to go visit!
That sounds like a perfect weekend! I’ve never been to Canada (booo, I know). I was supposed to go to Toronto for work last year and it fell through. Montreal sounds gorgeous, though and all your meals sound crazy good.
Glad you liked the Neighbors movie, Riley and I are seeing it this week!
Yay for fun weekends away! And I’m glad you said Neighbors was funny because I want to see it but wasn’t sure what people were saying about it.
I can’t even talk about the Rangers game. It is just not ok and I can’t even fathom how the Canadians lost that first game at home…I haven’t been to Montreal which shocks me actually but I have been to Toronto a few times.
DUDE you are way too cute in that first pic. And aren’t peanut butter M&M’s the ONLY kind?? Haha! They the best! The best part of traveling is eating #allthefood, but I totes agree – getting back in the routine is such a good feeling. 🙂 You and the man are precious.
So…I kinda want to steal that cap. I can add it to my collection, yo!
No surprises for favourite city, but Montreal is something that has intrigued me, after watching a docu on the olympics there! That camembert arepa is like a Mexi-French affair. Epic.