It Gets Real in Mont Real

Enter, if you dare...

The picture above is just one of the very charming places we visited during our too-short weekend in Montreal, Canada or Mont Real as I now affectionately call it.

This post is a little overdue, not because Montreal is not worth writing about, but because I’ve been so overwhelmed with my mid-semester responsibilities. But, here we are, another place to add to the list and that I will definitely return to!

Mont Real, is a nice {re}treat if you enjoy culture, food, nightlife, sightseeing and French culture. According to WikiTravel, Montreal is unique in that its maintained its Francophone culture; it’s the second-largest city (behind Paris) that has French as it’s official language. That means that most people function in French both at work and at home, and living one hour away from this great city it took me a little while to feel like I was really in another country since I didn’t have to travel long on a plane to be surrounded by all the sexy-sounding words coming out of people’s mouths.

Don’t be dismayed if French is not your forte, most people any way involved in the tourism business (hotels, restaurants, shops) have bilingual staff, and for that we were grateful. Also, according to Wikipedia 56% of the population is able to speak both English and French. It was still nice to practice the little French I was responsible for in HS (which is none, because I cheated and took Spanish as my foreign language). I did carry a trusty little phrase book that taught me a new favorite request, L’addition, s’il vous plaît, (the bill please) and by the time we left I was saying this to anyone and anybody who would listen.

We ventured up North during an unexpected heat wave that hit the first week in October, and what a beautiful way to be greeted! Mont Real is a multi-lingual, hip, bright city full of natives, immigrants, and transplants. It was nice seeing a population that reminded me very much of the blends in New York City. The Metro system was easy to navigate, although not 24 hours like the Big Apple (NYC).

What We ATE

• French Cuisine at Les Deux Gamins 
• Dessert: Ice cream on Prince Arthur East

• Thai Food at Thai Grill Mile-End, Montreal 

Crab cakes, Mmm...

• Homemade Crepes

• Chinese Food at Le Maison VIP Chinatown, Montreal 

I get very touchy around food...

• Food and Jazz at Jardin Nelson

• Foie Gras (French Delicacy)- If you missed that episode, catch up here. Or just watch the video. 

What We SAW

• Olympic Stadium

• Protest against Olympic Stadium

• Colonial and Stately looking buildings

• Leaning Tower

• Chinatown

Every major City has some Gatekeepers...

• Old Montreal

• Convenient & Easy Bike Rentals (known as the BIXI system)

Look Mommy, I can read a map!

What We CONQUERED

• Directing our French-speaking cabbie back to our B&B
• Finding and AMAZING Bread and Breakfast (A La Carte B&B). The only downside is that it was about a $20 cab ride away from Downtown. But the place was beautifully renovated and warm! (They have 2 suites and an apartment on the second floor, we got the opportunity to stay at both) Pictures courtesy of the website.

Juilliard Suite

Kitchen of apt

• Metro System

Choo-choo

What YOU should know (as an American tourist):
If you’re coming from the States, exchange rates FLUCTUATE daily. Know your stuff, download an APP on your Iphone or check the internet (or the front desk) before you leave the hotel and be assertive! During our 3-day stay, there was never more than a difference of .03 and .04 cents between the Canadian and American dollar but that didn’t stop vendors from trying to get over!

You don’t necessarily have to exchange ALL your American cash, most restaurants we went to accepted both currencies, but do be careful of their ‘in-house’ exchange rate. Don’t get got!

When you rent bikes with the BIXI, they do charge a $200 (deposit) on your card/per bike. If you bypassed or skimmed the ‘rental agreement’ at the machine, you might be shocked to check your statement hours later. They do refund the money within 7 days of the rental.

Have you ever been to Montreal? If not, is it on your Bucket List?

Until the next adventure,
She

26: Birthday Goal List {Status}

As I was doing some housekeeping here on Globe Tracer, I came across my 26th Birthday Goal List. Anyone who knows me must be aware that I’m semi-obsessed with lists (got my bucket list, things I will miss from Costa Rica list here) so why not find another reason to make a new list? What has my process been on this said Birthday list?

Let’s see how I’m doing based on the following rating system: Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory and Needs Improvement. Get ready, this is a long one!

1. Be satisfied being single. Status: U. I’m bad at being single. Or completely unattached. I don’t really have any excuse besides I hate being lonely! #don’tjudgeme

2.  Pray daily. Status: NI. Most of the time I manage to wake up and half sleep I say ‘Thank You God’ acknowledging the fact that I’m up to see another day, and that I woke up in my right mind. I would like to extend these sessions to have a more meaningful conversation, though, but maybe mornings are not the ideal time since I’m barely there.

3.  Enjoy being alone with my thoughts.  Status: NI.  I’m sure God is having a good laugh right now, because he would put me in my own apartment just so that I’m forced to deal with my worst enemy.

4.  Maintain better eating habits. Status: S. I do cook more than ever (although I dislike cooking for myself) so the fact that I’m not eating out as much as I used to makes me feel good.

5.  Flirt more. Status: NI. Someone should write a good book on this art, because it eludes me.

6.  Show my body off more, while I still got it! Status: S. I’m trying, but if people want to label me as conservative, I’ll be that too.

7.  Get back into school and envisualize my new career! Status: S. Back in school, can’t wait to start makin’ some monies!

8.  Keep positive people around me. Status: NI. As far as physically, it’s been hard to make new friends. But I still keep in contact with folks who inspire me!

9.  Read a new book every month. Status: S.  One book a month is very ambitious, especially with a full course-load. Currently I’m reading 3 books: Native Son by Richard Wright, Falling from Grace by S.L. Naeole and Look at Me by Jennifer Egan. I like to read different genres and alternate depending on my mood.

10.  Connect with people in more meaningful ways. (online and off) Status: S. In the online world, it’s been great. Offline, needs improvement.

11.  Compliment women in public (Black women do more hating than complimenting!) Status: NI. I don’t see many Black women here, but I will attempt being friendlier in general to women.

12.  Stop over-analyzing. Status: NI. I don’t even think it’s realistic goal when this is so second-nature.

13.  Be more spontaneous. Status: S. I had duck liver in Montreal, if that’s not exciting, I don’t know what is.

14.  Take a notepad with me to most places. Status: S. I’m always with a bookbag, more than likely there’s paper in there.

15.  Learn how to be present in wherever I’m at. Status: S. I am very present here. Maybe I should make this one: stop complainin’ about where I’m at! It’s not forever!

16.  Be okay with leaving my cell phone at home. Status: S. I’m always okay with this one. I can’t deny though…if someone is not looking for me or I don’t have at least 7 missed calls, I tend to feel like no one cared.

17.  Learn a new dish from my grandmother. Status: S. I did learn a new way to make chicken, haven’t tried it yet though!

18.  Take a solo trip. Status: S. Bocas Del Toro, Panama!

9.  Smile more. Status: NI. It’s too cold to smile here. 

20.  Be more approachable. Status: NI. Apparently, smiling more helps with this one.

21.  Listen more. Status: S. I am doing much better, since I am not interrupting people as much.

22.  Expand my playlist on my MP3 player. Status: NI. This would require me having someone to steal borrow music from.

23.  Don’t be afraid to voice my religious beliefs. Status: N/A. I haven’t really been in the forum yet where I’ve been compelled to share my religious beliefs. I try to live as a Christian, as opposed to wearing the title on my sleeve.

24.  Find activities that I enjoy to keep me in shape. Status: U. See #19.

25.  Keep in touch with family members outside of FB and Twitter. Status: S. I find that I want to keep in touch with people more than they want to keep in touch with me!

26.  Wear lingerie for myself! Status: S. I stocked up real good in Costa Rica, so I’m good for a while.

Congratulations, you’ve made it to the end! (or not!)

Quick Glance:

Satisfactory: 13

Needs Improvement: 9

Unsatisfactory: 2

List or no list, God loves me too much to keep me the same.Thank Him for that!

Sincerely,

The non-smiling, duck liver trying, reading three books at once, textbook toting, over-analyzer.

How often do you make lists and forget to follow up with them? Isn’t it more fun just to speak them into the universe and hope something happens?

The American Luxury

I had a treat on my flights back home from Costa Rica. Although I traveled for about 8 hours that day, I really couldn’t complain after I got to cross off the number 2 item on my Bucket List.  TWO FIRST CLASS FLIGHTS! I flew first from SJO to Atlanta’s huge international airport, and then had an hour and a half wait before I went from Atlanta to LaGuardia. On my first flight, I sat next to a skinny tall white man who informed the flight attendant that his children were seated in coach and that one of them might have motion sickness so he should prepare with bags accordingly. I thought to myself, what kind of man leaves his children in coach to come and sit in first class? Especially when he knows his kid gets sick on planes? I decided to spark a conversation, instead of judge him too harshly. He informed me that the children were seated in coach with the babysitter. That’s not too bad… I guess? The man, named Joseph, was retired and owned a farm on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, so he spent his time traveling every 2 weeks back and forth to Atlanta and Costa Rica.  The life, I thought to myself. He then began to tell me about his children’s 4 nationalities; they were born in Costa Rica, American citizens and then apparently were also automatically Danish and West African due to their parents. Apparently, children can hold more than two nationalities until about age 21, when the U.S. forces them to pick and choose only one other ally (if that country allows dual citizenship).

After our small talk, I picked up a flight magazine. You know, the one that tries to sell you things to make your arduous American life a little bit easier to handle. I picked the best 3 to share with you, my fellow readers:

Descriptions and Items courtesy of Sky Mall, Summer 2011

The Pillow Tie ($19.95, Available in Navy/Black/Silver or Red)

Boring meetings, hour-long conference calls– might as well make yourself comfy. Looks and ties like traditional neckwear but inflates with a few puffs.

How to use a pillow tie- Step 1. Access the inconspicuous valve. Step 2. Inflate in less than a breath. Step 3. Zzz..Zzzz..Zzz

(The man who invented this, must have definitely been puffing something)

Remote-Control Beverage Coller ($69.95)

Get up and walk all the way to the cooler for a cold one? Not necessary. Just point your remote and get your drink delivered, no cabana boy required.

The Peaceful Progression Wake Up Clock ($69.95)

This clock gradually increases ambient light stimulating aromas and peaceful sounds to awaken sleepers. Thirty minutes before wake-up time, the light glows softly, brightening over the next half-hour while faint aromatherapy scents release into the air.

I solved all your Christmas shopping dilemmas in one post.

Thank me later,

She Traces

A Bucket List Like No Other

Inspired by Richard Horne´s book 101 Things to Do Before You Die (a quirky list of unusual tasks to attempt before kicking the bucket) here´s my top 10 list of things taken from book. My favorite part of the book: all the Things to Do are actually forms, when you complete a task, you fill in the details, add an Achievement Star and keep it in your wallet. How else will anyone else know about your accomplishments in case something tragic happens to you while attempting a task? Genius.

10. Write a best-seller.

Okay, so this may seem a but far fetched especially considering how hard it is to get on the coveted Best Seller lists. BUT, why shouldn´t I dream big? I´ve already accomplished being published in a national magazine (Bridal Guide Magazine July/August 2011: Star Resort) so I just gotta work a little harder to get to that obvious next step. You just watch.

9. Study the Kama Sutra & Put Theory into Practice

Time to pay the fees on my library card and find me a subject.

8. Stay in the Best Suite in a 5 Star Hotel

I´ll leave this to my future husband to do, since that might be the only time I spend that much time in a hotel room.

7. Conquer Your Fear

A confessed fear of fish in water and emetophobia (fear of vomiting). I guess it´s time to get drunk.

6. Spend Christmas on the Beach

I long to hear a Christmas carol played on a steel drum…

5. Learn to Fly a Plane

This is no childhood fantasy, I´m really serious about pursuing this. When I took that charter flight to Bocas Del Toro, my eyes were opened…

4. Complete a Coast to Coast Trip Across America

I´ve never been to the Midwest,  mostly because I don´t have family there. Although I´m not exactly sure of the logistics of this trip (rental car, private car) or with who I would go with, I still want to take an extensive road trip sometime in my life.

3. Read the Greatest Books Ever Written

As subjective as this list may be, I still long to read as many classics as possible. I´ve yet to read: 1984, Animal Farm- Orwell, The Art of War- Tzu, Catch-22-Heller, The Grapes of Wrath-Steinbeck, Lord of the Flies-Golding, Pride and Prejudice-Austen, Wuthering Heights-Bronte.

2. Get a Free Upgrade on a Plane

I´m not part of any frequent flier program, I can never understand how they work. But I do long for the day I can get bumped up to first class, free of charge and just because I asked nicely.

1. Continue Your Gene Pool

What a nice way to word it. Makes having babies appealing to men.

Me: ´Let´s continue your gene pool babe´

Babe: ‘I can dig it’

Me: *Pulls out Kama Sutra book*

Honorable Mentions:

• Throw a Dart into a Map and Travel to Where it Lands- Indecisive about where to go? Get creative.
• Get Revenge- Sometimes we all want to put the wrongs right.
• Join the Mile High Club- To qualify one must be 1 mile into the air, or about 20 minutes into flight mode.
• Shout ´Drinks are on Me´in a Pub or Bar- Definitely not likely to happen in NYC.

Things I´ve Crossed off the List in Costa Rica:

• Live in a Place You Love
• Get a Piercing: Navel & Tragus
• Go Skinny Dipping @ Midnight: It was way after midnight, and I kept the knickers on. Can´t be exposing all the goodies.
• Confess: Secrets. Everyone has them. My confession was somewhere between bragging and embracing a part of me.

What unusual Things to Do are on your bucket list?