M O N T R É A L
Montréal is one of those cities I'd been to numerous times but had yet to discover as a tourist. My previous visits consisted of jammed packed itineraries with either healthcare conferences or catching up with family and friends. This time around, I wanted to travel to Montréal with the sole purpose of being a full fledge tourist - snap snap, double peace sign. After finding a great rate for a suite at Hotel Zero 1 - a fantastic contemporary hotel perfectly sandwiched between Old Montréal and the entertainment district, and with rooms perfect for Instagram - I convinced my partner to join me for a touristy weekend à Montréal.
- MUST HAVE -
A #musthave style item for a road trip weekend getaway is a coat that will take you from day-to-night. Remember, you want something that provides functionality and warmth while being a tourist outdoors, but also looks stylish for when you transition to a night out on the town. This wool-blend RW&Co peacoat was the perfect coat for the job. Pictured here while I was wandering through Old Montréal.
- MUST SEE -
An attraction that I had yet to check-off my to-do list, while visiting Montréal, was spending an afternoon at the Museum of Fine Arts. This time, it was top priority because of the Robert Mapplethorpe (1946-1984) Focus: Perfection exhibit currently on display. For those unfamiliar, Mapplethorpe was an American photographer known for his black and white stills and often controversial subject matter. It's definitely worth your time to read up on him and his work - here.
“Censorship is obscene.”
- MUST EAT -
I had to eat my way through Montréal in order to find the city's best grub... and to report back to all of you, of course! There were a number of great eats, one of which was this very tiny diner called Patati Patata. Their hot dogs, burgers, and poutines were delicious, and I even went back a second time to try the egg and bacon poutine for breakfast. You know what they say: good things come in small packages. #nomnomnom
Another #musteat destination is Hof Kelsten. They have incredible breads, pasteries, sandwhiches, and a delicious brunch menu! On top of the numerous pastries I ate (two cookies and a pain au chocolat), I thoroughly enjoyed the Gravlax sandwich - made up of smoked salmon, cream cheese, pickled cucumbers and more. A surprisingly delicious explosion of flavour.
But my absolute favourite from the weekend goes to a restaurant called Agrikol. This #musteat destination serves up authentic and super delicious Haitian food. Half of my ancestry is Jamaican, so I immediately felt the Caribbean vibe and flavours in their dishes. However, it was my first Haitian meal and, thanks to Agrikol, I'll definitely be on the lookout for a go-to Haitian restaurant in #TheSix. What to eat? EVERYTHING!!! We shared close to the entire menu. The food and drinks were so tasty that I forgot to take pictures - oopppsy.
- MUST DO -
After all that eating, my final #mossopmust, is hiking up Mount-Royal Park to the famous lookout. I had seen pictures of the view many times, but I wasn't prepared for the entirety of its scenic beauty once I got there in person. It provided that moment you get on vacation, where you truly shut everything out and have a peaceful moment to yourself. Not to mention the added benefit of burning off some extra calories from over eating all weekend. #didit
