Weekend Artist Date in Montreal: A Trip Report

4:45am - The alarm clock rings. Remarkably, after only one snooze I stumble out of bed and into the shower. The dog doesn't stir; it's even too early for her.

5:45am – I send a last-minute email to an acquaintance in Montreal on the off chance she may be available for coffee. A groggy D. waits patiently to drive me to the bus station.

6:00am – I pick up the ticket I bought online the day before, grab a coffee and two toasts – white bread with butter please – at the bus station’s canteen. I drag a still groggy pre-coffee D. in the photo booth with me to commemorate the moment. He's such a good sport.

7:00am – I’m on the bus, window seat, empty aisle seat beside me. The sun is shining, life is good. I take in the scenery and consult my copy of Montréal's 25 Best by Fodor’s. The trip goes by fast.

9:30am – Knowing that I’ll most likely be wandering the Museum of Fine Arts till mid-afternoon, I proactively stuff myself with a greasy breakfast consisting of eggs, toasts – white bread with butter please, hashbrowns, tomatoes, about seven slices of bacon and a cup of coffee. Oh my.

10:30am – After a quick ride on the metro I’m at the Museum. I love this place.

10:30-13:30 - I blissfully take in the Van Dongen exhibit - the reason for making the trek in the first place - and am not disappointed. His paintings speak to me. The subjects engage me. The colours inspire me to be bold in my own artistic play. I discover (or maybe confirm?) that I like portraits. I also take in the Imagine exhibit, commemorating the anniversary of John and Yoko's famous bed-in at Montreal's Queen Elizabeth Hotel 40 years ago. I don't know what to expect, but am pleasantly surprised; I am moved to tears more than once and leave feeling centered and at peace.

13:31 – Tired from museum-ing, I consider hopping an early bus back to Ottawa. I’ve done what I came here to do; I could leave now and be entirely content with my day.

13:32-15:00 – I decide to stay a while and meander the streets of Montreal: Sherbrooke, Saint-Laurent, Prince Arthur, St Denis. I enter Café Gitana to grab a coffee and a light bite to eat, but am intimidated by the Turkish coffee contraptions on the table. I leave and find a more traditional café, vowing to come back someday and try the Turkish one.

15:00-16:00 – I walk back to the bus station, but am drawn to the public library branch located across the street. I catch an exhibit by Monique Charbonneau called "Le goût de l'encre" (literally translated to The Taste of Ink) and shop at the library’s boutique. I score a three funky journals for my morning pages and a few other trinkets.

16:00-19:30 - I wait in line and hop an early bus home. My day here is done, I am content. I cross #6 off my 36 Things.

Grateful Saturday

I've many things to be grateful for today, but I thought I'd keep it focused on my Christmas trip home to New Brunswick. As I recounted my week to a colleague, he exclaimed, "It almost sounds idyllic!" In hindsight, I guess it almost was.

Here's my list:

• arriving to and from destination safe & sound
• Sis, Bro-in-Law and his mum arriving safe & sound
• witnessing a shooting star the morning of the Winter Solstice - feeling at one with All
• Mom's chocolate chip cookies, fricot (chicken & dumpling stew sans dumplings) and meat pies
• poutines râpées - a traditional Acadian Holiday treat
• Grenache caramel spread on my toasts EVERY morning
• crackling fires in the fireplace
• feeding the chickadees on my parents' deck
• communal crossword and jigsaw puzzles
• snowshoeing on Mom & Dad's 100-acre piece of land with D, and a bonus trek bushwhacking through the woods at our neighbouring National Park
• Holiday Inn, A Christmas Story, It's a Wonderful Life, The Chronicles of Narnia
• spending the week in one house with six other people, sharing meals, stories and space without cramping each other's individual style
• listening to the scratchy sounds of Gene Autry, Rosemary Clooney and Elvis Presley's Blue Christmas on Dad's record player in the basement
• sharing and laughing with D during the car ride there & back, listening to CBC Radio
• stopping one last night at Château Vaudreuil on the way back, treating ourselves to a suite with a jacuzzi after 11 hours in a car

So many things for which to be grateful - and there are even more that didn't make it here 'cause the list is already long! I am, and continue to be blessed.

A Catch-up Post

I can't believe it's been almost two weeks since my last post!

The trip to New Brunswick has come and gone. A few highlights include (and there are too many to list here): gabbing with Sis for almost twelve hours on the way there, seeing a childhood friend who now lives in Calgary, DIGGING FRESH POTATOES FROM THE GARDEN, and singing in front of a mic for the first time in 18 years (this summer's Shanghai karaoke incident excepted).

I kid you not, I think digging up those potatoes, washing them and eating them less than an hour later made that trip (no offense Sis!).

The past week was spent gathering last-minute supplies for my workshops at Squam: acrylic paints, rubber stamps, various painting stuffs I've never seen or used before. I'm off to New Hampshire bright & early tomorrow morning. It should be fun!

On a less pleasant note, the past day and half was spent accompanying D. in and out of the emergency room and doctors' offices. Unfortunately he ran into some health issues, but thankfully with good and timely care treatment is under way. He should see improvements within a week.

Et voilà, the past two weeks in a nutshell.

I feel tired from running around and am worried about D. I feel nervous about Squam, but look forward to it too. To alleviate the swirl of emotions, I'm trying to take it one day at a time. Tonight, I sleep. Tomorrow morning, I grab my bags, my coffee, my maps & hit the road to New Hampshire.

I'll see you when I get back.

Inspiration

“In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.”
- Anne Frank

If she could believe it, couldn’t we?

On a side note, I’m leaving bright & early tomorrow for this year’s Sisters on the Road Trip to NB. For a third year in a row, we’re heading out to Mom & Dad’s for a weekend of music, fun, and good ol’ r&r. I look forward to it. See you when I get back!

Quebec Pics Part II: Simplicity

To offset the ever-present stimulation of Quebec City's textures and colours, my sometimes overwhelmed senses sought respite:

après-latte

red hydrant

white grill

black grill

silver and red

Quebec Pics Part I: Colours, Layers, Textures

What struck me during my visit to Quebec City - Old Quebec in particular - was the dizzying array of colours, textures and layers. These few pictures are but a sample of the visual stimulation that sent me into a clicking frenzy:

rooftops

stone and sky

layers

épicerie of yore

contemplative colour

And a bonus pic for Cassie:

Dog's Lane

Quebec City Highlights

After visit number six or seven, Quebec City has yet to disappoint me. I am still smitten. Here are a few highlights from my weekend trip:

• Wandering the streets with D. with no plans or obligations, discovering treasures along the way
• Photographing the layers, colours and textures of Old Quebec’s historic architecture
• Stumbling upon the illuminated Potager des visionnaires at night, atop the Musée de la civilisation
• Walking along Dufferin Terrace with D. at night
• Le Moulin à images (a 0.6km projection of images of the past 400 years in Quebec City on the silos of Quebec's port - check out the video clips to if you have time)
• Discovering rue St-Jean with its cafés, shops and restaurants – épicerie J. A. Moisan, claiming to be one of North America’s oldest grocery stores (if not the oldest), was definitely a favourite with its wooden shelves, glass cabinets and jazz playing in the background, not to mention its scrumptious offerings of “produits du terroir”
• Enjoying cheap, good breakfast fare at Buffet de l’Antiquaire three days in a row – the “cheapest breakfast in town” according to the local couple sitting beside us on Day 2. Here's what the Lonely Planet has to say.

I'll no doubt share a few favourite photos in a later post. I already look forward to my next visit.

Quebec City or Bust!

D. and I are almost ready to leave for our Quebec City getaway - just one post and one pit stop away.

The forecast calls for rain or showers all weekend, but have raincoat, umbrella and Scrabble will travel. We're already looking forward to checking out our favourite pub and maybe a new coffee shop suggested to us by a local last year. We're staying here, just outside the walls of Old Quebec close to the port. It should be good.

See you in a few days!

ps - BTW, does anyone know where the term "or Bust!" comes from (see title)? D. thinks it's from the gold rush. It'll be a googler when we get back.

Random Accomplishments and Observations

I applied for my passport today; it's been on my to-do list since March 2007. As the teller gave me my receipt, I grinned, leaned in and said "It's my first one, I'm excited."

A young girl on the bus wore a t-shirt that said "Model Citizen" on the front. I thought it was pretty cool. When she got off the bus she threw a piece of paper on the sidewalk and walked away. My illusions were shattered.

I caught my reflection in the door window of an ATM vestibule and noticed I was wearing a deep, sinister frown. There's nothing bad enough going on in my life to warrant that. After that I consciously walked with my eyebrows raised. I preferred looking like an idiot than a grump.

After much - and I mean much - deliberation, I put a digital camera on hold at Future Shop for pickup tonight. I realized that I enjoy doing research for electronics about as much as I enjoy going to the mall. But I am looking forward to my new toy. :)

When I stop trying to control people and situations around me I'm a lot more at peace, and a lot more fun to be around.

When I get my black Jacob cardigan and my black consignment shop sleeveless top dry-cleaned as separate items it costs me $16. When I present them as a sweater set it costs me $10. It really is a nice sweater set.

When I start writing about the price of dry-cleaning, it's time to go. 'Til the next time ...

Road Trip to NB - A Few Pics

It was fun, full, and way too short. Here are a few pics from the road trip itself and a stop at a local beach in Neguac, NB. I miss it already. I really do.

rest stop picnic on highway 20

Côte à Sullivan - can't you just smell the sea air?

Côte à Sullivan - feet firmly planted

Côte à Sullivan - streaming to the sea

ribbons of gold on the 132

Road Trip to NB!

D. and I are off to New Brunswick this weekend for the annual Arthur-à-Johnny Savoie family reunion and I can't wait!

I've been homesick for a few months now and I look forward to seeing my parents, my aunts & uncles, my cousins. I also look forward to seeing my beloved East Coast and taking in some intoxicating salty sea air.

The coffee's brewed, ready to pour into the travel mugs; lunch for the trip is ready to load into the cooler (Southwestern chicken, Boursin pepper cheese with rosemary and sea salt bread crisps, Vachon caramel cakes for dessert and much, much more); and the suitcase is being carried to the car as I type.

We were supposed to be halfway to Montreal by now, but I forgot to set the alarm. Oops! :) So we'll leave shortly and get there when we get there.

See you in a few days!

A Cowgirl At Heart

I want these cowboy boots.

Inspired by a habit of buying magazines I’ve never heard of and a cover shot of Tom Selleck, I picked up the 15th anniversary issue of Cowboys & Indians, the “premier magazine of the West.”

Despite its questionable non-politically correct name, this is a quality magazine for high-rolling cowboys and cowgirls. With ads for high end hand-made jewelry, diamond-plated toe tips, and $11 million ranch properties the target audience is obvious. Who knew you could buy a pair of cowboy boots with turquoise, sterling silver and 18-karat gold accents for a mere $25000?

This magazine introduced me to a thriving sub-culture completely unbeknownst to me before this weekend. Being an East Coaster, except for a pair of Boulet cowboy boots I bought in 1991 (and have been hanging on to ever since), the West is foreign to me and known only through the movies.

Reading articles about history, Spanish colonialism and cowboy art makes me want to buy an Airstream and head to Montana (or Arizona, or Colorado!). And of course part of me loves the prospect of looking hot in a pair of tight jeans and Cherry Blossom boots. ; )

What a fun and enlightening discovery this magazine is turning out to be. I’m glad I picked it up.

Grand Manan Pics: Post-fog

As promised, here a few of my favourite post-fog pictures from Grand Manan.

Most of these were taken on Hike #2. Although we couldn't see much beyond the coastline, I enjoyed our trek through the mist. It had a surreal, almost ethereal feel to it. I connected with the imperfection of it all: the dampness, the rugged terrain, the crooked wind-shaped trees and the thick bushes of wild roses and potentilla blooms that seemed determined to thrive in such an unfriendly climate.

I wish I could convey the experience of the fog - how it felt on my cheeks, how it constantly transformed the landscape or how the chime of the foghorn echoed on the ocean's surface. I wish you could feel the muffled silence of the fog, broken by the crisp blow of a whale beneath the cliff. But alas you can't. With humility before Mother Nature's prose, I offer you these few snapshots to compensate.

Enjoy ...

(Thanks to D. for pic #5.)

Grand Manan Pics: Pre-fog

Finally! A few of my favourite pictures from our trip to Grand Manan in late July.

I was enchanted by this island hidden somewhere between New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Maine. Try as I may to show you with a few snapshots just how enchanting it is, they won't do it justice. But I'll still try. :)

We were lucky enough to get a full day of sunshine after which the fog rolled in and never left. I've divided my pictures into two posts: pre- and post-fog. These pre-fog pictures were taken on Hike #1, along what I think is the northern coast of the island. (Thanks to D. for pics 1 & 2!)

Too Tired

I'm tired. I want to write about all sorts of things, but I just don't have the energy.

I want to write about all the great documentaries you can get at the library for free including a new favourite called The Real Dirt on Farmer John. I want to write about my amazing friend Judi who started her own business called Credible Edibles and went live with her Web site about a month ago. I want to write about true love and how I'm confused but filled with hope at the possibility of it existing, just in a different form. I want to write about my trip to Mom & Dad's with Sis and how we talked, laughed, and sang a kick-ass rendition of Endless Love while driving through the woods and mountains of central New Brunswick.

Yup, I want to write about all of those things and much more, but tonight I'm just too tired. So I guess it'll have to wait. I'm going to bed.

Back from Vacation

I'm back! Hopefully you're still checking in despite my temporary hiatus during summer holidays. There's no way I could capture everything from my trip down East, but here are a few things I especially enjoyed ...

• spending quality time with family at the Savoie reunion - seeing cousins I hadn't seen since 1979
• initiating D. to Hole 41
• enjoying a private concert by Les Farailliens
• playing frisbee at Mom & Dad's with Dad and D.
• stumbling upon a field lit with what looked like thousands of fireflies - even Dad said he'd never seen anything like it
• camping on Grand Manan: whales, dolphins, seals & bald eagles - need I say more?
• exploring Dragons, Between Science and Fiction at the Musée de la civilisation in Old Quebec

Each segment of the trip had its own flair: the family reunion was full of laughter, music and love; time spent at Mom & Dad's was the epitome of rest, relaxation and comfort; Grand Manan was unlike anything I'd ever experienced, and Old Quebec felt luxurious and posh. All in all, a good mix to satisfy body, mind and soul.

I hope to get a few pictures up for your enjoyment in the days to come. Stay tuned!

Summer Vacation

D. and I booked our accommodations for our upcoming trip to New Brunswick: three nights camping on a cliff's edge in Grand Manan, NB, and one night at a swanky boutique hotel in Old Quebec city.

We've got two weeks off. We're kicking off the holiday with the Savoie family bash, then planning to spend a few nights at Mom & Dad's. It's D's first time in NB during the summer so I'm looking forward to showing him the local scenery.

After Mom & Dad's, it's off to catch the 90 minute ferry to Grand Manan where we'll be Cliff Edge camping with an ocean view. From the campground's Web site:

"You will be beside the feeding route of whales and in the night you would listen, or may be awakened, as they blow and breach. Sometimes their singing breaks through the ocean surface below you."

Next it's a stopover for a little more luxury in Old Quebec city and then it's back home for a second week of rest, relaxation and whatever tickles our fancy.

Family, adventure, luxury and relaxation - sounds like a perfect summer vacation to me!

Montreal - A Rich Experience

I've so many things to say about my last-minute escape to Montreal I don't know where to start. Do I talk about what I did? About how I did it? About travelling slowly? About travelling solo? And what about Maurice Denis, Marguerite Bourgeoys and the Blue Morpho butterfly that landed on my hand?

The trip was full of new experiences and discoveries, interspersed with a few very emotional moments brought on by the colours and words of French painter Maurice Denis, and the vision and courage of Montreal co-foundress Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys.

I suspect a series of posts describing some of these experiences will be forthcoming. Thoughts and insights are floating around in my head in various states of completeness. It might take me a few days to craft them into legible text.

Such a rich experience in only a few days ...

Auberge Les Bons Matins - The Breakfast Experience

The food: freshly squeezed orange juice, mini-croissant with soft cheese, french toast with maple syrup, western omelet with fresh fruit, coffee, coffee, coffee

The decor: bright yellow dining room walls opening to a lime green kitchen, twisted wooden pillars, metal lantern light fixtures and tiled bistro tables - perhaps lending the room a Mediterranean feel?

The ambiance: fresh Gerbera daisies gracing the table, book-filled shelves flanking the hearth, Edith Piaf crooning in the background, sun and cool air floating in from the window, smiles, smiles, smiles

With a full belly and highly caffeinated sense of discovery, I'm off to enjoy my second day here in Montreal. I haven't decided what to do yet. Do I catch the Musée des Beaux-Arts then go to Old Montreal? Do I explore rue St-Denis' eclectic shops? Who knows where the day will lead.

An Urban Travelling Experiment

I've decided to take an impromptu trip to Montreal. I think it's my way of fitting in one last adventure before my return to work. Although I'd been mulling it over for several months, it was truly a last-minute decision. I booked my train tickets and accommodations last night and at 6:23 this morning, I was chugging East to Montreal.

A few things inspired me to do it:

• D. suggesting that I counter my "I don't wanna go back!" outburst by planning something fun this week,
• a few interesting temporary exhibits at the Musée des Beaux-Arts and the Montreal Botanical Garden, and
• an Auberge I've been wanting to visit for at least 3 years.

So I write to you from the Auberge's lobby, sitting at a weathered wooden table. Techno beats play in the background. The colours give the place an urban bistro feel: lime green, blue and tangerine orange walls; wall-sized artwork with deep shades of red; a white marble hearth. The ornate ironwork, rich woods and cacti insert a flair more akin to that of a hacienda.

My suite is warm and energetic with brightly-coloured walls, a working fireplace (for sub-zero temperatures only) and oodles of natural light. Did I mention the jacuzzi? The extras make this place special too: two PCs offering free high-speed Internet access, a shared kitchenette in each housing unit - the Auberge owns several on the street - complete with microwave, kettle and fridge, and a cookie jar full of cookies that melt in your mouth.

The Auberge is close to René Levesque Blvd, Peel and Sainte-Catherine streets and central to major métro routes. My only complaint is that the street connecting this one to the main drags is a little shady for my taste. I wouldn't feel comfortable walking it at night - but I've always preferred erring on the side of caution when it comes to those things.

For tonight, I'll be content curling up on the couch catching up on a little HGTV, sipping on a complimentary hot chocolate and eating a few more cookies that melt in your mouth. And did I mention I have a jacuzzi? :)