Categories
Experiences Only in Montréal

Why Montréal is So Green

This. All happening right now. And a tornado warning.

The lights have flickered a couple times, but we’re still empowered. Charging all the devices while we can, though.

It appears the building across the street was tagged last night.… [Read More]

Categories
History, Culture, and Politics Musings and Observations Only in Canada

You Don’t Look A Day Over 39 Million

At approximately 3 pm today Canada’s population reached 40 million people (according to Canada’s population clock, which really looks more like test tubes….disturbingly).

By comparison, California has a population of about 39 million packed into a lot less geographical space–lookee here**:

This is one of the many reasons we’re in Canada.… [Read More]

Categories
Food Only in Quebec

Maple Report #11

Bibitte à Sucre

Montréal’s Jardin botanique is a beautiful place to stroll. It has lush greenhouses, winding outdoor paths, and a gourmet cafe, but the admission is pricey if you have to pay the rack rate.… [Read More]

Categories
History, Culture, and Politics Only in Montréal Only in Quebec

The Fires

You’ve certainly heard about the massive wildfires in Canada–there have been over 160 in Québec alone. The drifting smoke is choking East Coast cities and causing airlines, baseball games, and Broadway shows to cancel.… [Read More]

Categories
Only in Montréal Places

There’s Buried Treasure in Montréal – For Real

Solve the puzzles and (maybe) win a precious jewel, but good luck–no one has succeeded for 40+ years

In 1982, just a few years after the children’s book “Masquerade” kicked off the first “armchair treasure hunt,” Byron Preiss released his own challenge to the treasurially-inclined: find twelve buried “casques” following the clues in his puzzle book “The Secret.”… [Read More]

Categories
Experiences Only in Montréal

Summer Snow

It has been blazingly hot this week, and yet there’s snow:

No, Hell hasn’t frozen over. These floaty bits are part of the seed release strategy for the eastern cottonwood.

Each tree can release 40 million seeds per season, so even a few cottonwoods can create quite a show.… [Read More]

Categories
Food Only in Canada

Maple Report #10

Truffettes of France
Cocoa Truffles Dusted with Maple Sugar

Do you want the good news or the bad news first? Okay, here comes the good news: these cocoa truffles with a maple sugar dusting by Trufettes of France are phenomenally delicious.… [Read More]

Categories
French Only in Quebec

Hubert Made a Funny

If you speak French (or know how it is pronounced) this is very cute. Just some guy being drôle, like guys often are here. Bon appétit, Hubert!

Categories
Musings and Observations Only in Montréal

Talk Amongst Yourselves

I went to The Village recently to hunt up some nougat for a friend and dropped into a place I discovered last year, Pouding Cafe. Nice proprietors and staff, yummy sandwiches and coffee, and this sign.… [Read More]

Categories
Experiences Musings and Observations

Flowers and Ashes

The spring is coming on hard with temperatures waggling all over the place, even on the same day; cold and icy one minute, summery and 70s the next. The daffodils are dead but the little violets and vincas are beaming purple and prolific dandelion blossoms punctuate the greenbelts with brilliant yellow polka dots (in MTL there’s a movement to leave dandelions untouched when they’re flowering to feed pollinators.… [Read More]