Postcards from Montreal

“It sounds so far away and different. I like different places. I like any places that isn’t here.” — Edna Ferber

I always knew I would love Montreal, and I can't believe it took me 4 years to finally visit.  Greeted by the most glorious weather for the majority of our stay, it was the kind of warmth I've been craving for months and months back in Vancouver. Growing up in a tropical country, I've taken the sun for granted and having to live in so much snow and days without a glimpse of the sun this past winter was terrible. Actually, very brutal. Hence the weather we were blessed with made the city even more lively and got me really excited to explore everything it had to offer.

Walk: Mile End & La Plateau Neighbourhood

I remember walking through Mile-end neighbourhood as we headed to our first stop for bagels. I love how rows and rows of townhouses look seemingly uniform from afar, but as you walk past them you would see that each house is noticeably different. One house would be painted with a bright blue or green, and another would have a rustic, pink spiral staircase. Tweaks here and there, no two houses looked the same.

If possible, I would spend all my time wandering around La Plateau and Mile-end neighbourhood. These streets made me nostalgic for West Village in New York. Could this be my West Village in Canada?! After coming back here twice in our 4-day trip, I was sold. If you happen to enjoy admiring people's homes (or I guess, creep) like I do, you would understand my love for these two neighborhoods. And if it helps, all the brunch and coffee shops are situated within the area so yes I basically don't see why I would leave this place.

The neighbourhood felt extra alive as the sidewalks were filled with people sitting on patios sipping their drinks and chatting away, making the most out of the sunshine. For a second or two I forgot all about winter or spring seemed to have skipped its turn, I was part of a picture perfect summer afternoon in a city full of life.

The instagram famous florist,dragon flower.It was Easter Sunday when I visited and the shop was so crowded, I stood outside for a good 20 minutes trying (and failing) to get a decent photo.

Wander: Old Montreal

The oldest area in the city, Old Montreal is full of Parisian flair. I have never been to Paris, but once I found myself walking on narrow, cobblestone streets and seeing old majestic buildings on both sides of the walkway, I no longer felt like I was in Montreal. Sometimes it's crazy how our surroundings have the power to transport us to different places, or even back in time. The streets of Old Montreal seemed to never end, and one could honestly spend hours and hours just walking past cafes, restaurant patios and gift shops here and there.

Another scenic walk one could take in Old Montreal is towards the Old Port where it stretches along the St. Lawrence River. I remember it being a super sunny day and no streets were left empty, showing how lively and vibrant Old Montreal was, not only with tourists but also the locals. Unfortunately most of my photos taken that day were overexposed, hence I have little photos to share. But definitely make Old Montreal part of your itinerary, it's an area where one could easily spend an entire day.

If you love coffee and pretty coffee shop interios like I do, then search #mtlcafecrawl or check out the @mtlcafecrawl account on instagram (if you do not know already). It was what made me want to visit Montreal from the very beginning. Unfortunately I didn't make it to as many coffee shops as I would've liked to, I walked to at least 5 different coffee shops / brunch spots to find them closed for the long weekend (it was heart breaking).

Visit: Parc Du Mont-Royal  

We drove up to Mont-Royal Park because I wanted to see Montreal's cityscape, but it was so foggy during our last morning there to be honest, I wasn't too sure what I was looking at while on the lookout point (how sad)! All I remember was gloomy skies and a WHOLE LOT of fog. This was also how the park looked like, gloomy and cold, with almost the entire park to ourselves. I can only imagine how beautiful the park will be when nature comes alive in spring time.

Visit: Marché Jean-Talon

If you enjoy local markets like I do, make your way to Jean Talon public market where you'll find basically everything fresh and locally sources like fruits and veggies, flowers and all the maple syrup you're able to carry home. Oh and you can grab really good coffee and pastry at Cafe Saint-Henrilocated just outside the market.

Taste: Le Melbourne

Le Melbourneis the brunch spot I thoroughly enjoyed. The food is not only aesthetically pleasing (as all Australian brunches happen to be), everything we ordered was delicious! I love how they incorporate various ingredients, elevating the entire dish into something more. No it is not just sliced avocado on toast.  Dare I say it was one of the best avocado toasts I've had?! (And you guys know how much avo toasts I eat). They're also famous for their lucky charm latte - how creative and cute?! I mean coffee and cereal might just be the upcoming trend! They don't serve brunch every weekend, so check their instagram for updates, though I don't think you'd find their weekday menu any less impressive.

Sip: Arts Cafe

If you know me well, you'd know that I came here mainly for the lightbulb fixtures (heart eyes much)?! The interior was wood and vintage themed, there were plants hanging everywhere and you wouldn't miss the shelves with books that seemed to be strategically placed right under the hanging lightbulbs. At least it was to me, haha. It was cozy and quiet, a good spot to spend an afternoon reading or doing work.  I've seen photos online and they seem to have a nice food menu, but we ordered only drinks as it was a quick stop before dinner.

Taste: St. Viateur Bagel Shop

A few blocks away from Arts Cafe, also I've been told that bagels are a must in Montreal. Walking into the 24-hour bagel shop, I have never seen so many bagels my entire life...... It was quite a scene, also with more dough being knead by the corner of the shop, with even more bagels being tossed into the wood-fire oven. It was a short line, and we got half a dozen to go. I don't remember what flavours we picked but rosemary, also cinnamon raisin were my favourite! We toasted it back in our hotel for breakfast and um, they were even more delicious!

Sip: Leaves Cafe

For all of you that loves a good matcha latte (and by good I mean thick, creamy and a tad bitter), leaves cafe is a must. Everything in the shop is vegan, including their baked goods. There's a cute plant shelf on the corner everyone would want a photo of. I love how instead of pots, the cacti and mini plants are all planted in their paper cups. I still have the slightest crush on the barista for her amazing latte art skills (using almond/soy/coconut milk!!) cause if you regularly order milk alternatives with your coffee, you'll know how tricky it is for the barista to get your latte art right. So yes, she's got some real skills.

Taste: Fabergé Restaurant

This wasn't actually on my brunch wishlist. We came here because the 3 other brunch spots I wanted to try that morning were closed and for once I decided to trust google reviews, ha! The interior is hip and colourful, with a menu that screams comfort food. The chicken and waffles was definitely the biggest portion I've ever seen (though the photo might not seem like it). While I didn't find anything too special with our dishes, I still think it's a great brunch option in the Mile End neighbourhood if you're feeling hungry and craving some good ol' eggs, potatoes and burgers!

I haven't been everywhere in Canada, but I came to a conclusion that Montreal is the city that won my heart over.  How could I not fall for a city that is essentially a beautiful mashup between North American & European? Yes this still holds true despite struggling to navigate all the street signs in French that carries little to no meaning to me. The architecture style is the perfect blend of modern and old, satisfying the aesthetic needs for one that craves both. Also the fact that I started getting my mom into taking photos of the charming townhouses and flats we came across, also finding joy over our favourite doors and cast iron balconies, and all the pretty staircases.

At one point I even had a spontaneous thought of moving over for a month, so I can live on top notch carbs and coffee for a little, and maybe learn actual French (the very few words I know, I learned from Madeline on Disney). While I might take my words back during winter time, I'm definitely returning here once more. If Montreal isn't on your list of cities to visit, I hope I've sparked a new idea to your travel bucketlist.

|| iPhone 6s | shot and edited by me ||  xx Sam