Out in the Great Wide Open

Bonne année!

2012-01-24T00:32:00.000-05:00

New Year's day was nearly a month ago, and sadly, my resolution to stop procrastinating was quickly put on hold as we started off the new year with two weeks of vacation with our families (more on that later). I found it hard to get back into the swing of things when we made it back to Montreal and now I have a very long to-do list making a mockery of my resolution. So I made the decision that because today is the Chinese New Year, I am going to give my resolution another try. And as my blog has been severely neglected over the past few months, I thought it would be best to start here. So without any further ado... Happy (Chinese) New Year!

As an American, I have an intense love for all Chinese food : fried rice, orange chicken, egg rolls, fortune cookies... all the really authentic food that is delivered in a paper carton. So I was super excited when our friend, Li, invited us over to make and consume a ridiculous amount of dumplings. How could we ever say no?

Adam making dumpling
skins from scratch.

Li's piece de resistance,
a perfect giant dumpling.

Best Chinese New Year's Eve
feast ever consumed!

I wish I would have taken more pictures to document the process, but our hands were usually busy chopping, wrapping, or stuffing our bellies full of dumplings. It was a fantastic evening with great people and the best steamed, boiled, and fried dumplings I have ever tasted... a sure sign that this year of the dragon will be a good one!

I wish you all peace and happiness, bellies full of delicious dumplings, and of course, good luck with sticking to your (Chinese) New Year's resolutions.

Adventures in Puppy-Owning

2011-11-09T16:37:00.001-05:00

A week after Rook received his second round of puppy vaccinations, our veterinarian said that it would be safe to start taking Rook outside. This was a very exciting moment for us. At last we were free of the stinky potty pads in the apartment! We were prepared for taking him on walks with a leash (we had been praticing in the apartment for weeks), the craziness of training him to go potty outside (which he quickly mastered), and teaching him to go up and down the winding staircase (which he mastered, but not quite as quickly). However, bringing Rook outside came with all sorts of new adventures in owning a puppy that we had not necessarily anticipated.

First and foremost: Rook is a bulldog puppy. This means he is guaranteed to put anything and everything in his mouth. I never realized how much junk was on the ground until Rook began making it his mission to eat every leaf, cigarette butt, rock, and piece of glass that litter our side-walk. Even when risking fingers to sweep out whatever manages its way into his mouth, there is still a secret hiding spot somewhere within those floppy jowls that I am never able to find. Occasionally, we will make it back inside and he will triumphantly spit a rock out onto the floor. I do not even want to know what he has managed to swallow.

I also found this is an opportunity to use my new French skills - which I fail at daily. Even though I completed my first French course, I am embarrassingly awkward at putting it all together. As English Bulldogs are a bit of a novelty in Montreal, Rook has become a celebrity - I am not joking - the garbage man has stopped to take Rook's picture. All of this attention comes with a lot of questions... in French. And because there are many ways to ask the same question (How old?, What age? How many months?), I panic and hope I will recognize at least one word so that I will be able to answer. Sometimes I make a guess and blurt out an awkward answer in my best terrible French and wait for their reaction to see if it made sense. Sometimes I have no clue, but am still feeling Frenchy, so I apologetically respond with, "Pardon, mon francais n'est pas bon". Other times I chicken out completely, and just say "I'm sorry," and hope they are not offended by my use of English. On one occasion, I had a delightful encounter with an elderly woman whose English was as good/bad as my French. Somehow we managed a conversation. At one point she told me, "I am a Shih-tzu", which I took to mean she had a Shih-tzu because she looked quite human to me. I wonder what silly nonsense I told her in French.

Finally: Rook is a bulldog puppy. Which means going for walks is really not his thing, but being the center of attention is. Once he takes care of his business, he is usually quite content to sit on the side-walk and let all of his admirers come to him - which they usually do. But much to Rook's dismay, there are some people who have no interest in him and just keeps on walking. Adam and I like to take these opportunities to "draft" behind these people (who clearly have no souls - how could one not at least smile at a wrinkly wiggly puppy?) as Rook walks after them with a look on his face that says, "Hey! You forgot to make a fuss over me!!! " If the timing is right, we can make it down the block and Rook gets his exercise. :)

Mon frère à Montréal

2011-11-06T09:52:00.000-05:00

Having worked a ridiculous amount of overtime, my brother was given an extra week of vacation time and decided to visit Montreal! I was very excited for his trip, since we had not seen each other since my wedding in June. I was happy to be his tour guide and show him some of my favorite sites around Montreal. It was great having a buddy to be touristy with in my new city. Here is what we were up to...

Climbing a Mountain
Of course, anyone who visits will be forced to explore the mountain with me. Tom lives in Denver, so he was a bit confused as to why Mont Royal is considered a mountain. But I think he was pleasantly surprised with our walk on the trails and the picnic lunch we enjoyed at Lac aux Castors (Beaver Lake). We were incredibly lucky to have some unseasonably warm weather for the first half of his vacation, which was perfect for a walk around the mountain to take in the changing fall foliage.

Celebrating Holidays
Tom's visit coincided with Canadian Thanksgiving. I am not certain how the holiday is traditionally celebrated by the locals - and my Canadian husband is not much help in that area. Last year when I was visiting over the holiday weekend, our Thanksgiving dinner included dumplings in Chinatown (not that I complained one bit!). And although I have had a lot of experience eating a traditional American Thanksgiving meal, I have never attempted to prepare one on my own. So for our first official Canadian Thanksgiving, we made it up the best we could... buying a roasted chicken from the grocery store. Adam and Tom teamed up on the mashed potatoes and salad while I somehow managed to make stuffing, gravy, and green beans. I was very thankful it somehow turned into a very delicious meal.

Dressing like Locals
Tom really wanted to get a tuque (Canadian for hat) to take back as a souviner. We scoured the gift shops in Vieux Port until we found the perfect one (which I forgot to photograph). Along the way we had to try on some other Canadian hats just for fun.

Hmm... is that
Dudley Do-Right or
Smokey the Bear?

Oh wait... that really is
Tom's hat... not trying
to be a Canadian here.

It doesn't get any
more Canadian than
a 'coon skin hat!

Eating Local Cuisine
Canadians enjoy some crazy food that you just can not get in the states... like ketchup chips (brilliant!). I made sure Tom got to try two of my favorites: Montreal bagels and delicious crepes (okay, you can get crepes in the states, but they taste better when you have to order it en francais). And of course, Tom insisted we try the poutine (fries smothered in gravy and topped with cheese curds). I had some how managed to avoid this Quebec delicacy since my first visit to Montreal, but it seemed I could no longer put it off. We both agreed that poutine would really be best if consumed at three in the morning after a night of drinking. I could only finish about a quarter of mine, but Tom cleaned his plate (perhaps he was secretly drunk?).

Crepes, and bagels, and
poutine... oh my!

Being Holy
There is practically a church on every corner in Montreal. We toured two of the more popular ones. We climbed up the 99 steps to the Oratoire St-Joseph to take in the scenic view. A few days later, we visited Basilique Notre-Dame-de-Montreal, where we were treated to a musical practice session that included a harpsichord and violins.

In front of Oratorie St-Joseph.

Inside Notre Dame.

Climbing the stairs to the oratory.

Getting Culture

We decided to get some culture at Musee des Beaux-Arts de Montreal - which has free admission, so it fit the budget too! It is Canada's oldest art museum with a large collection of Canadian art as well as the work of masters from around the world such as Rembrandt, Rodin, and Picasso. There is also a very large and very interesting exhibit devoted entirely to the art and personal effects belonging to Napoleon. However, what I will remember the most from our visit to this museum, is the monumental staircase with an amazingly shallow slope. It is almost like it cannot decide if it wants to be a staircase or a ramp. It looks stunning, but it is delightfully awkward to walk up and down it.

Cycling like Locals

I think this had to be the highlight of Tom's trip! We took a four hour guided bike tour through the neighborhoods in Montreal as we learned about the different communities, culture, and history of each area. It was a fascinating tour and we were able to experience bicycling through the city - which I had been too chicken to try previously.

Playing with a Puppy

Obviously, no one can visit our apartment without spending some time with our puppy. Rook is very welcoming - he loves everyone, and believes we are all here for his enjoyment. He will gladly untie your shoelaces in an effort to invite you to stay longer and play. He is also quite fond of laps - which is very cute and cuddly now, but I have a feeling this will be slightly less enjoyable for us and our future guests when he reaches his full weight (around 65 pounds). Rook had no problem getting comfortable on Tom's lap to welcome his "uncle" to Montreal. :)

What a Difference a Decade Makes

2011-10-07T19:11:00.000-04:00

Ten years ago, I turned twenty. I was a sophomore at Southern Illinois University, living in the dorms and enjoying college life. For my birthday, my roommate Emily had wrapped my possessions (stapler, text books, shoes) and gave these to me as gifts. I also received an odd collection of gifts from the thrift and dollar stores, which I am modeling in this picture from my twentieth birthday (notice the foreshadowing to my Canadian future?).

At twenty, I knew that I would graduate with a degree in Interior Design. I knew I would return to Chicago after finishing school. I knew I would get a job. Beyond that, I did not have a real plan and my future was wide open. I did have this belief that I would one day marry a rock star. Alas, I am a home body by nature, and my mom pointed out that this would make it very difficult to meet my future rocker husband unless his tour bus broke down in front of the house.

As my thirtieth birthday approached, I was not sure how to feel about it. Should I feel sad, old, anxious, excited? To be honest, I mostly felt surprised at how quickly time had passed. But I can honestly say that I am satisfied with every moment of my twenties.

I have had a lot of great experiences over the past ten years. I started working at my first real job. I traveled all over the country. I worked hard. I met amazing people. I made life long friends. I made some money. I spent some money. I lived on my own. I learned a lot.

Some experiences seemed less than positive - at first. When the housing market started to crumble, I found myself unemployed. That was a not so great moment of my twenties. But that moment led directly to getting a better job at a better design firm. It indirectly led to meeting a wonderful man (not a "rock star", but one who plays the guitar, so close enough). I fell in love. That was the best moment of my twenties.

Then my wonderful man began a new job in Montreal. We made long distance work. We got married. I moved to Canada. We adopted a furry son that likes to bite us. I turned thirty. And I am happy. :)

Puppy Proofing

2011-09-29T00:21:00.000-04:00

There was a small miscommunication of when exactly our English Bulldog puppy, Rook, could come home with us. Somewhere between French and English, the first week of October actually meant the first day of October. Adam had understood this, but I insisted he was wrong. Adam just kept insisting, "But I want my puppy now." His argument held no logic, but obviously I lost this debate when Adam received a phone call from the breeder, Isabelle, and was told we could come pick up Rook this weekend. Woohoo!/Eeks! I am feeling excited and anxious all at once. Thankfully we started our preparations while on a puppy high after picking him from the litter of pudgy pups a few weeks ago.

We had grilled Isabelle on what we needed and she gave us a ton of great information on what items and brands are best for bulldogs. As neither of us have ever owned a puppy/dog before, we would have totally screwed up were it not for her great advise. After stopping at Ikea, where we debated dog names over hot dogs, we found our way to a nearby pet store. First we wandered around, completely confused by the multitude of puppy products. Then we got it together and went through the list and bought a collar, leash, food/water bowls, poop bags, toys, a crate, etc. - all per Isabelle's recommendations. Adam talked me out of purchasing some adorable puppy hoodies (Isabelle hadn't mentioned those after all), and we loaded up our rental car with all the goodies.

On our way home, we happened to pass by a Harvey's restaurant. Adam will have to be the one to explain why this fast food chain is so great. I have tried to understand but I really cannot figure out what all the fuss is about (maybe it's something only a real Canadian can appreciate). But we had worked up quite an appetite trying to decide which collar color and pattern best fit Rook's persona, so with a fancy u-turn action, we pulled into Harvey's for lunch. I will say that the dill pickle on my burger was quite delicious. We munched on our burgers, fries, and onion rings while consulting our English bulldog book on puppy proofing.

Which brings us to today. With Rook's arrival only days (instead of weeks) away, we are in a mad dash to get the apartment puppy proofed. We've done our best to crawl around trying to find and hide the things that may peak Rook's puppy curiosity, but I am sure he will have no problem showing us all the things we missed. Not so secretly, I am excited that having a puppy around means Adam will have to keep his things a little less "scattered" around the house. No more cords and game controls left out - Rook might eat it! No more piles of random stuff left on the floor - Rook might poop on it! I will probably have bad karma now for wish bad upon Adam's mess, and my things will be the first to be destroyed. But as long as it is not my cat, I will try not to complain too much. Bring on the puppy! :)

A Sunday Afternoon in Mile End

2011-09-25T21:53:00.001-04:00

The annual Renegade Craft Fair was among my favorite fall events in Chicago. It is a fantastic marketplace for the handmade goods of do-it-yourself-ers, indie-crafters, and much of the creative goodness you can find on etsy.com. It started in Chicago's Wicker Park and has since expanded to Brooklyn, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, London - but NOT Montreal. I was considering writing a letter to demand that Renegade be brought here, when it occurred to me that Montreal is a pretty hip city and probably already has it's own indie craft scene. A quick search, and I found a listing for Puces POP DIY & Craft Fair. I immediately marked it on my calendar and patiently waited for the date to arrive.

Today was that day! I was not sure what to expect - how big/small it would be, what the vendors would be selling - but it was a beautifully sunny afternoon so there was no harm in walking over to find out. I meandered my way to Mile End, purportedly Montreal's hippest neighborhood. Apparently the city's indie music, cultural diversity, and all things cool originate here so it seems like the logical place to go for a craft fair.

Puces POP was held in the basement of a church. Although smaller than Renegade, it was exactly what I was hoping it would be. The handmade goods ranged from edibles to wearables, accessories to home-decor. Many of the items were gorgeous, some were a little strange, but all filled my need "ooh" and "aah" over people's creative wares.

After I wandered my way past all of the tables, still empty handed, I realized I had missed the vendors located on a stage in the back. There I found a great collection of prints and posters. It only took me a few minutes to find what I just had to have - a city scene of Chicago and one of Montreal. I can't wait to get these framed and hung on our walls.

I finished up my visit to Mile End with some freshly baked sesame bagels at the original St-Viateur Bagel Shop. Forget New York style bagels - Montreal bagels are the best! Especially if you get one just out of the giant wood-burning oven. Warm and chewy, these bagels are wonderfully tasty, even without any spread, when fresh. The perfect snack for the walk home. And great sandwiches for dinner with Adam. :)

Apple Picking Season!

2011-09-21T15:28:00.000-04:00

Fall, in my opinion, is the best season. The summer's heat and humidity are replaced with a crisp breeze that transforms the trees into a colorful backdrop for all the fun fall activities. Near the top of my list for "Things I Can't Wait to Do in the Fall" is apple picking, which is closely followed by apple pie making. Since Montreal is an island, and to my knowledge there are no orchards on the island, I was not sure how we would go apple picking without a car. Luckily, AMT offers a fall orchard excursion with transportation over the river and through the woods to orchards in the Lower Laurentians. It even includes a ten-pound bag of apples we would pick ourselves. Voila!

Ditching the city on a
train to the orchard.

As we headed out with a group of friends last Saturday, I was very excited about the whole thing. Adam was less than thrilled about apple picking. On our way to the train station, we saw an unusual number of people dressed in costume. As Halloween is more than a month away, I thought this was odd until we realized that Montreal's Comiccon was happening that very weekend. If we hadn't already purchased our train tickets, I'm certain Adam would have ditched the orchard for Comiccon. He sulked, listened to some Metal on the train ride, and then proceeded to enjoy being at an orchard.

Scotty & Adam at the orchard.

We started with a picnic lunch, then got busy picking apples. The rows of trees were not labeled and I am not well versed on the variety of apples, so I have no idea what kind of apples we picked. Some are red, some are green, and some are a combination of both. They are all delicious. And a trip to an orchard is not complete without purchasing some fresh apple cider and delicious apple donuts. Miam! (That is French for yum!)

I need more apple recipes!

On Sunday, Adam (finally) made it to Comiccon, while I tried to figure out what to do with 20-pounds of apples. I started by making a delicious apple pie and discovered that KitchenAid mixers are great for making pie pastry. I had tried once before, laboring with a pastry cutter to make my own pie crust, and decided it wasn't worth the effort. Since I am in love with our KitchenAid mixer, I thought I would try again and let the mixer do all the work. It was quick, easy, and came out perfect. No more store bought pie pastry for me!

I also tried making applesauce for the first time - which I discovered was incredibly easy and delicious. I barely made a dent in our stash of apples. There is an apple crisp recipe I want to try, but if anyone has delicious apple recipes please send them my way! :)

I ♥ Montreal!

2011-09-09T15:18:00.000-04:00

Having lived in Montreal for two months, I have become acquainted with some of the city's unusual quirks. Being a quirky gal myself, Montreal's oddities make me love it all the more. Here, I submit to you, a few of my favorites:

Sidewalk Cleaners of Unusual Shape and Size

A sidewalk clearner on the loose.

If you happen to be out during a street cleaning, you may be lucky enough to spot one of these fine creatures. They have been observed on the sidewalks of Montreal in both a red and a white variety. These cleaners are modified tractors with an elephant trunk to suck up all the gum, paper, and litter that didn't make it into the trash bin. They are incredibly noisy, but delightfully unusual looking. Perhaps these are common in other cities around the world, but this Chicagoan gawks every time one comes her way. I have decided this behavior is acceptable while I am here on a visitor's visa and will continue to shamelessly act like a tourist and snap photos until I am granted residency.

An Abundance of Telephone Booths

Three telephone booths - all
under one tree!

In most North American cities, the phone booth is an ancient relic from long ago found mainly in old films and nostalgic stories of a pre-cellphone era. Sure, you may find a payphone here and there. But I am referring to a real, superman-style telephone booth. Because Montreal has one of the lowest rates of mobile phone use in Canada, it is one of the few places where telephone booths can be found in great abundance. I am distracted by the unusual presence of phone booths everywhere I go. Telephone booths can be found near most major corners, on top of Mont-Royal, and even right outside our front door. I have never had a reason to use one, but it is yet another thing at which I like to marvel.

Exterior Staircases in a City with Snow Five Months of the Year

Staircases wind and curve their way
down to sidewalks all over Montreal.

Wrought iron staircases winding down from balconies and twisting over gardens can be seen in every shape and color on multi-story buildings. They are an iconic characteristic of Montreal architecture. Having yet to experience a Montreal winter, I find the staircases charming. But I had to wonder how they could be so popular in a place with so much snow. Of course the explanation is a story with many twists and turns. Around 1890, residential buildings were required to have a setback from the sidewalks. So staircases were pushed out into this mandatory band of land to preserve the amount of livable space inside. Landlords liked that this created more rentable area. The church liked that neighbors were able to keep an eye on one another. As aesthetics changed, the elites decided the staircases were ugly and brick archways were built to hide them - creating nice little nooks for unwholesome activities. The church did not like that at all, so in the 1940's a new bylaw was passed preventing the construction of outdoor staircases for "safety reasons". The rule was repealed in the 1980's, and Montreal's staircases and charm are now protected.

On a side note: My two months in Montreal also mark a full two months of living with Adam (the most consecutive time we have spent together in years!). Adam has his own set of quirks, which I happen to still find endearing, but that is another story for another day. :)

Searching for a Perfect Pickle Recipe

2011-09-01T20:20:00.000-04:00

Spices and cucumbers
ready to be pickled!

Have I ever mentioned how fond I am of pickles? Some might call it an obsession. I believe it is just good taste. Adam and I have agreed to disagree on this point. I consider Claussen's kosher dill pickles to be the epitome of the pickle perfected. So delicious that I could easily finish off a jar as soon as it is opened. Then I moved to Montreal - and horror of horrors - they do not sell Claussen pickles in any store! This has prompted me to get serious about making my own refrigerator pickles. I've tried in the past with various pickling spice packets, but I was never really happy with the outcome - if I am going to make pickles I want it to taste like a Claussen.

Ready for the
refrigerator!

I found what seemed to be a reasonable recipe online for copy-cat Claussen pickles and began my search for the ingredients. Most were either already in our pantry or easily found at the store. Except for the illusive dill seed. Every store has dill weed, which I researched and found is not the same thing. Tracking down dill seed took several days and an intense search guided by my iPhone and google maps to every market in the Plateau. It took a while, but it was also a great opportunity to explore the neighborhood. I finally tracked a jar of dill seed at a store near the mountain, picked up some mason jars, and quickly headed home to give the recipe a try. The pickles had to sit in refrigerator for an entire week before they would be ready, so I didn't want to waste any time.

Okay, I forgot to photograph
the finished product. Pickles
don't last very long around me.

It was a very long week, and I will be honest with you and admit I opened the jar a half a day short of the full week (I did better than I thought I would). But the anticipation was too great. I had been slightly suspicious when putting everything together because the combination of spices smelled nothing like a jar of Claussen pickles. I was hopeful that after a week of chilling in the refrigerator it would transform into the great pickle taste I was after. Sadly, it did not. I am not saying these pickles were bad. They certainly had the crispy crunch of a Claussen pickle, but they didn't taste Claussen-esque at all... and actually were rather spicy. But do not fear, for I did not let these impostor pickles go to waste. I promptly ate the two jars I had made in about a week.

Thankfully there are always more recipes to try. I am excited about a food blog I found in which another Claussen fanatic actually strained out the contents of their pickle jar in order to identify and quantify each ingredient. I have much more confidence in how these pickles will turn out - so it's back to the markets in search of some additional spices. I'll let you know how the next batch goes!

Surviving a Tropical Storm with Homemade Pizza

2011-08-29T10:52:00.000-04:00

A smoker will put up with
anything for a cigarette.

As Hurricane Irene was downgraded to a tropical storm, she decided to visit Canada and brought severe storms to Montreal. We woke up Sunday to the downpour of rain and umbrella breaking winds. It was clear this would be a day for staying indoors, comfortably seated on the safety of our sofa. When Adam asked what movie to put on, I told him I wanted to watch something that was "kind of serious, quirky, with a bit of drama, and some comedy." Adam quickly deduced that this meant we should watch Dr. Who (he's good like that). I had yet to watch the first half of this season and the new episodes of the second half are just beginning, so this was the time to catch up.

With a marathon of Dr. Who on the agenda and Irene creating havoc outside our door, it would be important to have delicious food readily available. We decided it would be the perfect opportunity to make a pizza from scratch. An ambitious decision, because we have the worst luck making pizzas together. Whether using a pre-made dough or a frozen pizza, something always seems to go wrong. Things get burned, crusts meld to the pan, and we end up with an inedible mess.

I was able to quickly mix together a pizza dough with the help of our KitchenAid mixer (hooray for wedding gifts!). We multitasked and let the dough rise during an eventful episode of Dr. Who, then Adam got to work punching down the dough and chopping up the toppings. Adam gets very serious about his pizzas, so I was only allowed to grate some cheese and document the process with photos. The pizza went into the oven and Adam carefully monitored its progress while I tossed together a caesar salad. With high hopes and fingers crossed, the pizza was ready in twenty minutes and we sampled our hardwork. Nothing had burned, the pizza lifted easily out of the pan, and it tasted delicious. Our pizza curse had been broken - it was the best pizza we have ever made!

Compared to our friends on the east coast, we experienced limited destruction from Irene. In Montreal, falling branches damaged cars, high winds brought down windows from a downtown high rise, and many were without power. We were lucky and only experienced two power outages. Both times, power immediately came back within seconds. But nothing that could keep us from eating well and getting caught up with Dr. Who.

Adam's Birthday with a Splash of Adventure

2011-08-25T13:34:00.000-04:00

Adam is not the type of person who believes in making plans, so trying to figure out how he wanted to celebrate his birthday was nearly impossible. Eventually, he agreed to drinks at Le Sainte-Elisabeth. Being a Friday, it wasn't too much of a stretch from what he would normally be doing and it worked out nicely. Adam's friends and workmates were there and it turned out to be the best non-celebration I have ever attended. The only down side of staying out late, was waking up Saturday morning for our weekend adventure of white water rafting.

Don't let Adam's scruffy beard fool you, he is not the outdoorsy type. His natural habitate is usually at a pub talking about games, on the sofa watching TV/playing games, or at work making games. As I've mentioned before, he hates when I make him trek around Mont-Royal, so I wasn't really sure how he would take to rafting. But despite having several pints and even more shots the previous night, Adam was ready for our adventure with Andreanne, Jack, and Bjorn the next morning. And I was thankful that we didn't have to leave Montreal until 11am.

It was nearly a two hour drive, almost made longer by an accident and horrendous traffic. But luckily, Jack's navigating skills and Andreanne's speedy driving got us there right on time to sign safety waivers and get suited up with life jackets, helmets, and paddles. As we were grabbing our gear, a girl in a group we were paired up with asked why we would need paddles. I still have no idea what kind of tour she thought we were on.

As it turned out, we did need to have paddles, but rafting wasn't nearly as laborous as I thought it would be. Following our guide's commands, we only needed to paddle for short bursts and then let the river do the rest of the work. I think this had a lot to do with the experience level of our guide, who obviously had a love of rafting and knew the river well. He was able to negotiate the rapids and put us in position where the opposing currents allowed the raft to "surf" on the rapids.

For me, the hardest part about rafting was getting back in after we all jumped out to swim in the river. My lack of upper body strength made it nearly impossible - and I think this knowledge is what kept me from falling out during the rest of our trip.

For Adam, the hardest part about rafting was staying in the raft. Just about everyone fell out at some point, but Adam fell out the most and had a few close encounters swimming through the rapids. I have a theory that the number of drinks consumed on the previous night may have had a direct correlation to the number of times Adam fell out of the raft.

Rafting has been my favorite experience since moving to Montreal. It had just the right amount of excitement, without being too scary. Not to mention the beautiful scenery! During our trip down the river is started to rain - which was a bit cold - making it warmer to be in the river than in the raft. It created a stunning view as the rain subsided and steam rose off the water. The view was often so distracting, I would lose the rhythm of paddling and smacked into my neighbors paddle on more than one occasion.

It was an incredible adventure - one that we both would love to do again. We didn't bring cameras and the tour group's photos were great but too expensive. So instead, you will just have to accept my stick figure drawing as proof that we actually got off the sofa. :)

Pride & Pressure

2011-08-17T14:57:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, explorations of Montreal continued as we mixed it up with some of the city's sub-cultures.

Montreal Street Art.

On Friday, I went on the "Free Walking Tour of The Quartier des Spectacle." A great tour if you are in Montreal or thinking of visiting - it is well worth your time! The tour was a great opportunity to become better acquainted with the arts, culture, and history of Montreal as it highlighted Montreal's graffiti scene, innovation in art and technology, and the underground city and Metro. I learned about very interesting urban planning that is currently being implemented on Rue Sainte-Catherine to better equip it for the many, many festivals the city hosts every year. Among the cool innovations, is an underground vacuum system that will keep trash cans from overflowing during events. Very futuristic!

Montreal Pride Parade 2011.

Montreal is all about the festivals. There are small community celebrations and there are major events, but it seems there is always something to celebrate. This weekend was no exception. Montreal's Pride festivities were in full swing with the parade on Sunday. A few streets over was the Under Pressure graffiti convention. Two events that were all about being seen and bringing understanding to the community.

Under Pressure 2011.

We started Sunday afternoon by walking Under Pressure on Rue Sainte-Catherine. This is an annual event to help bridge the gap in the debate over whether graffiti is art or vandalism. The festival included artists from all over the world, skateboarding competitions, DJs, and b-boy battles. The streets and alleys designated for the festival became a living museum as the artists climbed scaffolding adding their tags to the walls. I had never seen anything like it!

Adam checking out the display
inside the pop-up gallery
for graffiti art across the street
from the Under Pressure
graffiti convention.

Artists adding their tags to the
brick wall canvas from
scaffolding along the alleys
of Rue Sainte-Catherine.

After a quick break for ice cream, we headed over to Rene-Levesque Boulevard to meet up with friends for Montreal's Pride Parade. Here, Adam took a detour to check out Otakuthon, Montreal's Anime convention that was happening not too far from the parade route (there really is something for everyone going on in this city at all times). The theme of this year's Pride Parade was "3011: Odyssey of the Future." Quebec, and Canada as a whole, is a more accepting culture (it was the fourth country worldwide to sanction same-sex marriage) - and I think the parade's theme was hopeful that all countries would recognize this right in the future. The parade was flamboyant and fun - although not as large (or crazy) as some of the Pride parades I've been to in Chicago. In any case, Adam had hoped to see more boobs.

It just isn't Pride without
a few drag queens!

Line dancing cowboys in
Montreal's Pride Parade.

Of course, being so close to Chinatown, we had to stop in for a late lunch/early dinner after the parade finished. I don't know how this happens, but our weekend adventures always end with a meal in Chinatown. Our bellies seem to like it.

This should be in a museum!

2011-08-13T12:13:00.000-04:00

Feeling adventurous, Adam and I headed out to Vieux-Port this past Sunday for the Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology exhibit at the Montreal Science Centre. Adam had been wanting to go since I moved here, and the exhibit will only be in Montreal until September 18, so we decided to go check it out.

I have insisted on leading the way when we go out so I can learn my way around the city. Adam isn't allowed to correct me if I make a mistake - I learn best through experience. Luckily the route to the museum is not complicated. A quick Metro ride downtown and I managed to get out at the proper stop and successfully led us to the museum. On our walk through Vieux-Port we stopped to check out some downtown condo listings posted in a window, but decided the million dollar lofts weren't really our style. I happen to like our cozy, narrow apartment in the Plateau. And I think it will get even better once I "girl" it up a bit.

My wayfinding skills took a turn for the worse as soon as we arrived inside the museum. I'm still not really certain if the museum's signage was poor or if our excitement was at fault, but we somehow managed to walk right by the very long ticket line and down a very long hallway all the way to the archaeology exhibit - only to be turned back to the museum entrance for our admission tickets. Once we managed to do things in the proper order we were finally allowed into the exhibit.

It is billed as an interactive museum adventure, shedding light on historical myths (such as the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail) through clips and memorabilia from the movies. The displays include a large collection of Indiana Jones film props, costumes, models, concept art and set design from the Lucasfilm archives along with material remains and real world artifacts from around the world.

It was a unique comparison, and I learned a lot. Who knew bullwhips are not standard gear for archaeologists? I think Adam was hoping for more action and that we would be chased through the exhibit by a giant bolder. He spent more time on the movie displays than most of the artifacts (although the hieroglyphics had his attention). At one point, while going through an educational section of the exhibit, Adam said to me, "We can skip this extra stuff... there is more Indiana Jones stuff over here!" Of course we stopped to try on fedoras at the gift shop.

After spending a couple hours going through the museum, we wandered over to Chinatown for a delicious lunch. Our bellies full of sizzling beef, we headed back to the Metro and home. But not before we stopped to get our free samples of Dr. Pepper inexplicably being handed out from the back of a Dr. Pepper van. Not a bad day for a couple of couch potatoes. :)

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad Men World

2011-08-08T19:09:00.000-04:00

Mad woMan, Lauren

Adam and I are avid couch potatoes. Our favorite moments are when we are sitting around, doing nothing, watching television together. And as newlyweds, our couch potato habits haven't actually changed very much. Even though we purchased a brand new kitchen table and chairs for our apartment, we have only eaten at it a handful of times. The table has become a catch-all for immigration paperwork and where I sit to write my blog. Most nights we fix dinner, then fix ourselves in front of the TV for a marathon of our favorite show of the moment. Right now that show is Mad Men.

Although Adam had already watched it all, I was (way) behind the times, and had never even caught a single episode. As we were settling into our spots on the sofa one Saturday morning, our plates heaped with cheesy omelets and bacon, Adam turned on the very first episode of Mad Men. From that long overdue moment, I was transfixed by the story of 1960's ad man Don Draper and his colleagues on Madison Avenue. The stories, the sets, the costumes... what's not to love?

We have nearly finished watching our way through the fourth season, and it's going to be a long wait until new episodes begin airing next year. But honestly, I am kind of looking forward to our hiatus. When you are immersed in a marathon of Mad Men episodes, you can't help but feel like a character yourself.

I am not a smoker. But after watching the characters puff through countless cartons of cigarettes (not to mention the drinks!), I find myself craving a cigarette... or at the very least a drink (or two). So if a non-smoker like myself, feels compelled to smoke it's no wonder that Adam has been having trouble sticking with his plan to quit. I wouldn't be surprised if there is an increase in cigarette sales during any given Mad Men season. After a brief relapse, Adam is back to the Nicotine gum. I can't say that I mind the slip-ups or that I even blame him (the last several weeks have been stressful at work). I just hope that he doesn't quit trying to quit.

Because I have too much time on my hands, Adam and I took a quiz on AMC's Mad Men page to find out which characters we are most like. As he predicted, Adam is a Pete Campbell (who oddly enough, is one of the few characters that does not smoke), ambitiously working his way up the corporate ladder. I feared that I would be a Betty Draper, but was relieved to be likened to Salvatore Romano, the former art director at Sterling Cooper. (whew!) I'd gladly be compared to a highly creative, closeted gay man over an immature housewife any day.

I can attest that it is isolating to be a housewife when everyone you know works and you don't speak the local language. I made it nearly a month, but I finally became really homesick last week. Luckily, I have Adam for a husband and not Don Draper. Adam heroically made it through my crying melt down, and then helped me pick out a French class to ensure that I will not become a bored housewife. He made me feel a thousand times better - but I must admit, I feel silly for getting so upset. I have an amazing opportunity to live in a new country, learn a new language, and meet new people. I can't help missing my family and friends, but I think it would be really unfortunate if I spent too much of my time here crying about it. Hopefully, I won't have more Betty Draper moments.

Mad Man, Adam

As for homesickness, I think Don Draper's pitch to Kodak at the end of the first season says it best: "Nostalgia - it's delicate, but potent. Teddy told me that in Greek, "nostalgia" literally means "the pain from an old wound". It's a twinge in your heart far more powerful than memory alone. This device isn't a spaceship, it's a time machine. It goes backwards, and forwards... it takes us to a place where we ache to go again. It's not called the wheel, it's called the carousel. It let's us travel the way a child travels - around and around, and back home again, to a place where we know we are loved."

Lighting up the Montreal Sky

2011-08-03T17:32:00.000-04:00

Best seats in the house, an apartment view of the
International Firework Competition in Montreal.

There are many things I enjoy: a deliciously crunchy pickle spear to accompany a sandwich, coming home to snuggle with Adam in front of the TV, and the razzle dazzle of fireworks (just to name a few). I will elaborate on the first two in future posts and stick to the subject of fireworks this time around.

Having lived my entire life in the United States, there are two national holidays that burn brightest - The Fourth of July and New Year's Eve. Any celebration that requires lighting things on fire and watching them go boom is bound to be a great time. Montreal must feel the same way, because they have devoted a good portion of their summers to enjoying pyrotechnic displays.

Known for being the best and largest fireworks festival in the world, L'International des Feux Loto-Quebec began in late June and finished up last weekend. At 10pm every Wednesday and Saturday evening, the sky over Montreal lit up - with at least 4,000 fireworks set off during each thirty minute display. I don't think I need to explain how exciting it is to have a full hour of fireworks every week!

The competition has been held yearly since 1985, over Lacs des Dauphins (Dolphin Lake, for my anglophone friends) at La Ronde (Montreal's amusement park, opened as part of the Expo 67 World's Fair, and now a Six Flags theme park). At La Ronde, the show can be viewed from the 7,600 seats available for purchase or there is standing room for an additional 30,000 people. If you don't want to pay the park's admission you can join the thousands of spectators who enjoy the show for free throughout the city - in Vieux-Port, on the Jacques Cartier Bridge, or as we did this year - from a well positioned apartment balcony belonging to Adam's friend.

This was the first year we realized the fireworks were synchronized to music, which seems obvious now, but makes them even more spectacular. There are sixty acoustic speakers surrounding the lake. Or if you are at Bjorn's apartment, the music is broadcast over a provincial radio station to accompany the display.

This year eight countries competed: China, Czech Republic, England, Italy, Australia, USA, Canada, and France. The final show was a non-competitive tribute to the Beatles and their music. A jury, chosen from the general public, determined the winners of the Jupiter award in Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Those familiar with Roman Mythology, may remember that Jupiter is the god of the sky and natural elements, such as thunder and lightning.

I'd love to say that we made it to each and every pyrotechnic display, but sadly there were a few we missed. I truly regret having missed Italy's "Angels and Demons" themed display (put on by Pirtecnia Mosani RSl, the same company that does the firework displays for the Vatican) which was awarded the Gold Jupiter. I wish I could tell you how amazing it was to watch that show in person, but I wanted to attempt ordering dessert in French when we were out to dinner that night. Adam warned me I would not have time for both dessert and fireworks, and I forgot that service can be a lot slower in Montreal than what I am used to in Chicago. On a side note, I learned an important lesson that night: "mangue", French for mango, is not pronounced "man-goo".

iPhones aren't best for photographing fireworks,
but this captures some of the awesomeness
during the finale of the Beatles tribute display.

Next year I would like to splurge and actually see one of the firework displays from La Ronde. There is no doubt that the fireworks are impressive from anywhere in the city. But after watching some of the displays we missed online, I think there is definitely an exceptional view of the ground show and a whole perspective at La Ronde that just cannot be seen from anywhere else.

J'aime Le Mont-Royal!

2011-07-30T10:41:00.001-04:00

For the past two weeks the mountain has been calling my name. To an outsider, it may seem like just a large hill. But the natives like to think of it as a mountain. I myself have an infatuation with this slice of nature plopped down in the middle of the city, so I will have to side with the Montrealers on this one.

A quick history lesson: The first European to climb the mountain was Jacques Cartier, who dubbed it Mount Royal, from which the city takes its name. The surrounding park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the very same landscape architect that designed New York City's Central Park and the fairgrounds for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago (what is now known as Jackson Park).

Too many stairs to count
on a shortcut up Mont-Royal.

Ever since my first visit to Montreal, I've been dragging Adam up the mountain to explore the surrounding park, trails, and lake. Each time he would respond with, "Again?!? We already did that!" But I always feel compelled to go back and explore more.

So at last, I made a visit to the mountain on a lovely, but overcast day (as you can tell from the pictures). It's hard to say when exactly the transition from city to nature happens. The urban background noise begins to fall away and is replaced with a calm of breezy trees and chirping birds. This natural oasis in the middle of the city is the thing I love most about Montreal.

Chalet du Mont-Royal (above) with
stairs leading down to its front
terrace. Inside the chalet (center),
paintings hang just below the
ceiling depicting the story of
French exploration in North America.

A view of Montreal and the
St. Lawrence River beyond from
the front terrace of
Chalet du Mont-Royal.

On this trip, I took a shortcut from the broad and winding switchbacks, opting for the stairs. And quickly realized that I could be in much better shape. I stopped at the Chalet du Mont-Royal to take in the panoramic view of the city on the front terrace. Then I circled around on a smaller footpath to see the Croix du Mont-Royal, a large cross that is illuminated at night and is visible through out the city.

Water run-offs along
Chemin Olmstead.

A footpath along
Mont-Royal.

Croix du
Mont-Royal.

Three hours wandering around the mountain top, and I can't wait to go back. If you ever come to visit me in Montreal, be prepared for a hike up the mountain. :)

A Weekend with Grover

2011-07-26T15:30:00.000-04:00

Soon we will be the proud owners of an English Bulldog. Many have wondered aloud (yes, we have heard you) if we are ready for the responsibility of owning a puppy. Truth be told, probably not. But is any parent ever really ready for their new bundle of joy?

Luckily, we were able to try out our dog owning skills for a weekend, with an adorable lhasa apso named Grover. We now have a better idea of all the slobbers, snores, and smells we have to look forward to as future dog owners.

But more importantly, it has been an opportunity to see how Charlie gets along with a dog. Of course, being a cat, he was less than thrilled. For Charlie, what started as a terrifying weekend with Grover, has turned into a (somewhat) peaceful coexistence based on distrust, just as many friendships do.

It should be noted, that Charlie believes he possesses some of the legendary skills of the ninja, including invisibility. To evade Grover, Charlie will freeze into crouching tiger pose for a full 60 seconds until his foe loses interest and falls asleep. Charlie then switches to "Stealth Cat" mode and creeps in a ridiculously slow manner from the room. Because barely moving makes him invisible.

It took a few days, but Charlie has become used to Grover being around. There is still an occasional hiss or a warning meow, but Charlie is willing to tolerate Grover. Especially when in the kitchen, because the possibility of getting food far outweighs the annoyance of having a dog around. I think they are destined to be best frenemies forever.

And I think we are destined to be hitting the library soon so we can study up on house training a puppy and be ready for our puppy-to-be when he gets here.

La vie est bonne!

2011-07-25T14:09:00.000-04:00

I have never been big on making changes in my life, so moving almost 750 miles from where I have lived my entire life seems crazy. I find myself in a new country with a new language as a newlywed. We've been planning this for years, but to actually be living the plan is surreal!

Arriving in Montreal, I spent the first two weeks getting the apartment in order. Adam hadn't unpacked (or moved) a single box since he moved in last month so we could do it together and I would feel at home. I love that excuse! I can't complain because it has kept me busy during the day while Adam is at work.

It took me a couple of days to build up the courage to venture out on my own to the local shops to pick up groceries and such. I can't understand a word of French, but usually people will switch over to English and I'm able to get by. There have only been a few instances when someone couldn't (or maybe just wouldn't) speak English. I need to find a French class so I'll feel more comfortable going oot and aboot on my own.

Adam also wanted some change in his life, so he quit smoking last month! I know it has been really hard for him, but he has done an amazing job. The nicotine gum really works. Having the motivation of getting the English Bulldog puppy he has always wanted seems to help too. We met with a local breeder and put a deposit down. When the pups are born in August we will get first pick of the litter.

So far I am loving Montreal. I really like where we live. It reminds me of Chicago's neighborhoods, but in French. There are lots of little restaurants and shops to explore.

We even overcame some early struggles of married life: shopping at Ikea and putting Ikea furniture together.

I guess change is good! La vie est bonne!