Paint Nite

A while ago I had attended a paint nite with Little J. Paint nite is basically a night where you basically crank out a painting in 2 hours under the guidance of an artist while sipping away on cocktails.  You can even have dinner while you paint,although I wouldn't recommend it; in my book painting and food don't mix.

I was a little hesitant at first because I have no artistic talent what so ever.  And when I say no talent, I really mean no talent.  Back in my uni days CW asked me to help her put together her art portfolio, I clearly remember telling her that I can't paint and her reply was everyone can paint.  So when we started painting half way through  her first piece she was like "hmmm maybe you should stop painting and just stick to making collages" .  And I wasn't even painting anything complicated just stripes, yes I will admit I managed to mess up painting stripes!

What can I say, I'm a science person, I totally use left side of my brain more than my right (even though this is a myth).

Lole Warehouse Sale 2015

I'm very late posting about this sale given the fact that it's over, but you can at least keep it on your radar for next year. The Lole warehouse sale is a definitely a must,  if you're in the market for some workout gear or cold weather sports gear.

I have been waiting for this sale to re-appear especially since I'm in dire of some work out clothes.  I thought this sale comes around once a year, but it looks like happens at least twice a year.

This is not the same as the Lole sample sale I posted about in March.  The Lole warehouse sale is definitely worth a look!

The Urban Sugar Shack

Sorry for being MIA lately, I have a real life job outside of blogging, so when deadlines loom in my real life job, that takes priority.  And there are moments when I come home from work, I just don't want to turn on a computer.  I know I can post on a regular schedule if I plan ahead, but blogging is really just a hobby for me at this point (I basically go week by week instead of planning 6 months of posts).  Blogging is a great creative outlet to channel my energy into something else and a great way to share my thoughts about new discoveries, but again blogging is currently just a hobby for me.

Enough with rant and on to what I have been doing lately.  Did you know Montreal had a pop-up urban sugar shack? If you don't want make a trek out to a real Cabane à sucre but still crave a maple syrup fix, then the urban sugar shack is a must go.

The urban sugar shack has popped up at the Wellington Promenade the last few years. How did I not know about this?! Pros to the urban sugar shack: 1) it's in the city, 2) it's a family event, kid friendly and pet friendly, 3) a bunch of local tasty restaurants participant in the urban  sugar shack, and 4) food is priced very reasonably everything was either $2 or $4.    The cons of the urban sugar shack: 1) it only lasts one weekend and 2) food is on a first come first bases, if they run out of food they basically close up shop.

It wouldn't be a sugar shack experience, without snow shoes!

Warning this is a picture heavy post:

Lole Sample Sale 2015

Curious about the Lole sample sale?  I was super excited when the Lole sale came around again, last time I went to the warehouse sale I couldn't believe the deals they were having.

This time the sample sale is definitely a pass.

My Last Mac&Cheese Pit Stop

Mac&Cheese week is wrapping up, if you guys haven't hit up a any of participating restaurants, you still have time, tomorrow is the last day.

So it turns out I managed to fit in a 3rd mac&cheese. My last mac&cheese was at Burger Royal

How have I never heard of this place, I love burgers!

Pit Stop #2 -Mac&Cheese Week Continues

I love food themed weeks in Montreal, it gives you a little extra motivation to get you butt to a restaurant that has always been on your "I gotta eat here" list.  It's also a great way to discover new restaurants.  So my second stop in my mac&cheese week happened to be

Mac&Cheese Week

Montreal is a foodie mecca, there is tasty scrumptious food at every bend. I met one couple from Toronto, who basically planned their whole trip to Montreal based on their reservations at Joe Beef.  Yes, our food is that good!

I've been quite spoiled as a foodie  Montreal, to the point when I travel I find the food just doesn't compared to the meals I've had in Montreal. I really love it when the "... week" rolls around in Montreal.  We've had burger week, poutine week, and now this year for the first time ever there is a mac&cheese week!

Secret Suppers

By chance I had caught the documentary Secret Suppers of Vacouver on CBC.  It caught my eye 1) because one of my best friends B just moved to Vancouver and 2) it's about food. It's a win-win, if you want to watch the episode click here.  Basically secret suppers is an underground restaurant scene, where talented chefs literally pop up restaurants in the most random places, their apartment, someone else's apartment, basically any where there is an available kitchen.  These underground restaurants provide an opportunity for talented chefs who are unable to open a restaurant to cook for foodies. Who says you can't learn anything from TV!

I think the underground restaurant concept is relatively new to North America, in Hong Kong, this is a hugely popular concept.  Even my mom knows about underground restaurants in Hong Kong.  She claims, that the only way you'll really get a great meal.

The first secret supper I attended was the Vegan Secret Supper (VSS).

Why Does Poutine Week have to Coincide with the Coldest Month?

 February is coldest month in winter, but the first week of Feb has become synonymous with Poutine week in MTL.  For those who aren't aware of what poutine week is, let me break it down. In my books poutine is what Quebec is known for, like how Florida is known for it's oranges. I think of poutine when I hear Quebec, that and maple syrup.  Poutine week, is where a series of restaurants vye for your votes by creating a one of a kind poutine that is available only for that week. At the end of the week, a winner is declared, you can check out the list of restaurants that participated and their poutine concoctions here.

Last year, I tried 4 of the poutines, this year I figured I would have some restrain so I opted for 2.  First up was

My Last Mtl à Table Stop

Tonight, is the last night of the Mtl à table festival, so if you don't have any plans and your tummy is starting to grumble, I would high suggest hitting up one of the restaurants participating in Mtl à table. It a very good way to try new restaurants on the cheap. My last stop was Guru-Bristro Indien (AKA Indian food).

My Mtl à table experience has made me realize that St. Denis is filled with tons of yummy restaurants hidden behind unsuspecting signage. My last 2 Mtl à table restaurants were located on St. Denis within walking distance of each other and both times I was like, what there is a restaurant here?

MTL à Table Stop #2

I know eating 2 dinners  out on the weekend is pure gluttony, but trying good restaurants on the cheap is too good to resist. So pit stop #2 on the MTL à table train was La Fabrique Bistrot.

 

Sorry for the grainy pic, I was in my car about to drive off...opps

MTL à Table...Let The Eating Begin

The MTL à table event just kicked off this past weekend and runs til Nov 9 (Oct 30-Nov 9).  For those who don't know the what the festival MTL à table is, it's basically an eating extravaganza. I kid, but I think it can be for some with extra cash to burn and has a clear schedule for the next 2 weeks.  It is very similar to the Happening Gourmand festival, but in my opinion so much better. Instead of being limited to restaurants in the old port who basically all owned by the same group, it is a series of restaurants around Montreal that are offering you set menus on the cheap. Menu prices range from $19, $29, and $39 and consist of a 3 course meal.

First stop

Sister-Sister Event...Not (Thank God it was Free!)

Somehow I lucked out and got 2 free tickets to the Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull concert at the Bell Centre. This could have been a Sister-Sister event, unfortunately Lily is away in Uni, but I managed to rope CW into going with me. It also basically turned into a work outing, about 8 of my co-works also got free tickets.  This is usually not a type of concert either one of  us would normally pay to see, but since it was free why not.  I had zero expectations, maybe I would be blown away by it (see this is my ass backwards logic working here).

This is the End

Let's rewind to the beginning:

Red Ball Project

The Red Ball Project made it's way to Montreal and I caught wind of it just in time.  For those who don't know what the Red Ball project is click here. In essence the red ball project is a travelling public art project where a 15 feet , 215 lbs ball moves from city to city, spending a week in each city being wedged in different locations each day.  The Red Ball Project is the brain child of artist Kurt Perschke. The color red chosen  because red invokes a sense of play and humor.  Lily and I were definitely in a playful mood, we couldn't stop smiling and giggling when we were near the red ball!

If you check out the Red Ball site, you can see all the how creative some people get when posing with the red ball. Some of the photos are quite artistic.

After making it's way from the biosphere, to the quartier du spectale, Berson's Monuments, Parc Ex, and the old port, on the last day the Red Ball was wedged somewhere in Parc La Fontaine

Here's our photo journey with the Red Ball.

The Red Ball has arrived at Parc La Lafontaine

The Only Time It's Ok to kick An Animal

CW and I had gone horseback riding last weekend and it was definitely quite an experience.  It had been something we both wanted to try at least once, so after some quick googling she found a place in the West Island.  

Warning: This is a picture heavy post

Sister-Sister Event #1 of 2014

2013 was crammed packed with sister-sister events, 2014 the sister-sister events have calmed down quite a bit (my wallet was definitely grateful for the break!).  I don't think we would have had any sister-sister concert events in 2014 if this wasn't re-scheduled.

The first sister-sister event of 2014:  Justin Timberlake's  20/20 Experience

Sister-Sister Event #5 of 2013-Part 2

After the concert, Lily really wanted to see if Selena would come out and greet the fans after her show.  Word on the street was she greeted fans after each show, there were pics of her with fans in Winnipeg and Ottawa.  Since we didn't purchase the meet and greet this time around, I decided to indulge her and make our way to the back of the Bell Centre. The meet and greets for Selena's first tour were reasonable, this time around the meet and greets were basically equivalent to a vacation; so I passed.

This was the scene that greeted us at the back of the Bell Centre

Sister-Sister Event #5 of 2013- Part 1

So if you haven't guess what the Sister-Sister event #5 of 2013 was...drum roll

Mrs Carter world tour hits Montreal

So last Monday I went to see Beyonce and it was amazing! She is such an amazing performer and interacts with the audience so well. Her presence and energy literally got the crowd shouting the whole night. 

Sister-Sister Event #4 of 2013

We purchased the tickets one year in advance, I was a little skeptical when Lily  suggested we go. A lot can happen in a year, the band may break up, the date may be re-scheduled/cancelled. Since we purchased the tickets so far in advance, we kinda of lost interest in concert but as the date approached and One-Direction pandemonium descended on Montreal, we were feeling it again.

One Direction arrived in Montreal the day before the concert and tons of teenage girls were stalking them.  Fans anxiously awaited for them  at the Ritz Carlton, a few of them were even mobbed while shopping at Urban Outfitters, girls were even in alley ways trying to catch a glimpse of them.  On No They Didn't has managed to capture the chaos (click here and here).  I must admit I have never seen a boy band cause so much chaos in Montreal, but than again back in my day it was all about 'N sync and Back Street Boys. These previous boy bands may have caused similar chaos but I'll never know because youtube and social media did not exist back then.

Plus I have no idea, how fans find out where celebrities stay when they're in town.  I guess you really can't under estimate the power of teenage girls. But can someone seriously enlighten me on how people find out about these things?  Out of curiosity, I have googled no luck, I have tried reading forums, no luck either, I have only seen people declaring there undying love for them. Unless there are secret forums???

And now for the big event: