We may not be traveling by the wind per se right now (as Phillip and I are not currently sailing), but, I can assure you, we are indeed traveling! Nothing goes to windward like a 747, am I right? I thought I could use this time—while Phillip and I are in this exciting international travel chapter—to share some very cool destinations with you all that we did not access by boat. We explored Montreal for the first time last August and were just blown away, almost decided to book ourselves for a whole month this year but too many other fun trips got in the way (hate when that happens). After having visited for only a week, however, Montreal is now extremely high on our list. In one sentence, I would call it:
The open air, art-centric café culture of France, but you get there by lunchtime.
Now, I’m not the travel guide type. That’s where Phillip shines. This might be a little-known fact, but—when Phillip and I travel—I often don’t know where precisely we’re going, when we’ll get back, or what exactly we’re going to do while we’re there. I just ask what to pack and then go. Seriously. I tell myself this is one of the elements of my personality Phillip loves and one of the things that makes our relationship work so well. Let’s hope it’s true.
What are my strengths when it comes to travel? Let’s see I’m flexible, a light packer, quite durable, resourceful, oh, and … I’m the best storyteller. That’s where I shine. In the retelling of the tales where truth is a guideline, the names of shows, restaurants, and venues don’t really matter (because I can’t recall them anyway), and the small side-stories, the things that happened that we remember and retell, consume the spotlight, as they most rightfully should. So, that’s how I’m going to regale you in this new “TO” series. I like to focus on the stories. In this respect, Montreal did not disappoint. So, let’s dig in. What are you waiting for? Go …
TO MONTREAL!
The Birthplace of Cirque de Soleil
I have to start with this one because I am a HUGE circus, dance, performing arts, flip-de-doo person (yes, that is a type) so I was over-the-moon-excited when Phillip told me he booked us a Cirque show in the very city where Cirque WAS BORN. Did you know this? Cirque de Soleil originated in Montreal. So it was very cool to be in Cirque’s birthplace to pay homage.
I got to witness the most surreal, stunning, eye-popping contortionist of my life—Aleksei Goloborodko.
I will never forget what seeing this man fold himself in half did to me. I felt trippy. Weird. I got nauseous, high, then completely freaked out and, yet, it was all … #totallyworthit. There was also a water feature that poured down and shapes and letters formed in the waterfall. It was just breathtaking, death-defying, performed to perfection. Everything this circus girl loves. Many thanks again to Phillip for treating me to this!
We watched the show LUZIA. Don’t take my word for how good it was—just see for yourself:
If the huge Cirque following and fanbase wasn’t enough of an indicator, Montreal is a HUGE art hub, filled to the brim with painters, dancers, poets, authors (yes, honey!), jugglers, underwater basket-weavers. I mean, I’m sure there are some. My point is this city is a thriving, pulsing haven for artists and creatives. And, I believe it was after Cirque we went to this Carousel Bar for drinks and a later night dinner. It was just about as dizzying and exciting as the show. I danced and did some flips. I’m sure people thought it was Soleil, lol.
Bike Tour Through the Farmer’s Market
Phillip booked this. A bike tour through the city. This checked a ton of boxes for us. Phillip and I are very active travelers. We want to bike, hike, walk, do all the fun active things a new city offers. Second, it was a nice tribute to the bicycling backbone of Montreal. This is a mega bicycling city. Some fun facts:
22% of Montreal folks use a bicycle as their main mode of transportation
1 in 5 of all Canadians who bike to work live in Montreal
The BIXI public bikes dominate with 11,000 bikes and 900 stations in the city
Our main takeaway: the month we live in Montreal this will be how we get around 90% of the time. The city was so bikeable with lovely paths, safe lanes, bike rentals and racks everywhere. It was a bicyclist’s dream. We booked a Bike Tour with this super funny tour guide (Phillip and I have a knack for always scoring a super quirky local who turns us on to hidden gems). This guy was no different.
Quite the ladies’ man … that will be relevant later, table that. This Guide even tried to land a couple compliments my way that had him falling over and wrecking his bike mid-tour. Are you hearing this? The bike tour guide fell off his bike while giving us the tour. That was my favorite part! He took it in great stride, though, and the Farmer’s Market was a complete cultural, ethnic, beautiful, delicious experience. If we lived in Montreal, Phillip and I would probably walk to this market every other day to buy dinner goodies. Such a treat.
The Silversun Pickups and Girl Tones
This was probably the biggest draw for Phillip: The Silversun Pickups. He recalled this band from the 90s and was really looking forward to hearing their music. Their songs Lazy Eye, Panic Switch, and Circadian Rhythm are his favorites. I was familiar with them and really blown away to learn they have been in a band, performing all over the U.S. for twenty years! They made a real career out of playing music with their friends and performing live, and I felt you could feel their joy in having accomplished that as they took the stage. It was a wonderfully energetic, lively concert.
I have to admit, though, that the opening band—Girl Tones—with their quirky, slightly creepy, maybe deranged vibe pulled me in. Two sisters. One on the drums who seems like the quiet mastermind while the blonde lead absolutely rips the stage up with her energy. Again, don’t take my word. Just watch these badass gals. Phillip and I had a fantastic time cheering on all these amazing musicians.
Poutine … and Actually Delicious OTHER Montreal Foods
Can we talk about this? Who is a fan?
I did find it a bit odd that this city so focused on activity, art, healthy/mindful living, etc. and yet their absolute signature dish is a pile of fries dotted with cheese curds and covered in gravy? A heart attack platter? That’s what Montrealers are in love with? Sorry, I just wasn’t a huge fan. Phillip and I tried several different types—trust me, poutine was EVERYwhere, you couldn’t walk down the street without tripping over it—but none of the different types wowed us. But don’t worry, because every other dish we tried did. Montreal is known for its ethnic food. It is an absolute hotbed of Italian, Vietnamese, Lebanese, Chinese, Haitian. It’s a foodie’s dream! Just … skip the poutine (in my opinion). I know some staunch Canadians are going to let me have it. But I say … bring it! This is what travel is about, experiencing it all for yourself.
There may have been alcohol involved when we took these foodie pics. Yep, lots of alcohol:
Old Town
We did walk through Old Town and it was quite nostalgic being on the waterfront, seeing the boats and docks, smelling the salt air. The pier area had that feel of Coney Island, kind of a county fair atmosphere with lots of games, food vendors, and activities. It definitely felt like the older part of the city.
Phillip and I actually stayed in Plateau, in a little AirBnB and we loved that. It was a great neighborhood with lots of coffee shops and restaurants within walking distance and you could hop on the Metro at any time to go anywhere. We only Ubered just a few times to cover long distances, usually when we were dressed up for dinner only. Otherwise, it was walking and biking mostly the whole time – enough to earn all those meals, trust me! Even if you wanted the poutine (because you’re crazy – ha!).
Café Culture
Speaking of walking around and exploring, I could have spent every single day hopping from café to café writing books. Hell, I hope to someday. The “café culture” there is rampant, inviting, exciting, and so much fun. I am a huge people watcher, so being able to curl up in the corner of a new coffee shop (as a completely anonymous stranger, my favorite!), watch the new locals in their very-local and familiar environment, and just absorb it all was a real treat for me. Many people speak French in Montreal, too, and many of the dishes and drinks have a French flare so for these two Francophiles, Phillip and I felt right at home at each of the dozen or so coffee shops and cafés that we popped into over the course of only five days, practicing our French, filling our bellies with cup after cup of hot, spicy goodness, and moving on to the next. Caffeine be damned!
Hell, we needed it for all the bicycling because we biked to each shop. In Montreal, the bike community really dove-tails well with the café culture. That was probably one of my favorite things. I could have biked around all day with my backpack (laptop) and written my novels in all those coffee shops. I hope to the next time we go. Next time for a month! Right, Phillip??
We did have fun popping by this little “fortune teller”—foodie style—on this big promenade that was right in the heart of our neighborhood. Can anyone tell me what these little notes say? Answers at the very bottom.
The Famous Burrito – That Was Anything But a Drag!
Ahhhhh … the drag show. This was our last night of the trip and we booked it kind of on a whim. Translation: Phillip saw a sandwich board outside of a building advertising it and it looked more colorful and enticing than the plans we already had so we took a right turn and went for it and—damn—what a treat. I love drag shows. Well, let’s back that up, I love any LIVE show. If folks are taking a stage to try and entertain you, I always feel that at least deserves my attention as a tribute to see if they do, in fact, entertain me. I can safely say I don’t think I’ve seen a drag show that did not entertain me. Now, there was that one Phillip and I caught in NOLA years ago where the dancers were all bruised up and kept splatting down into the splits at the most random times with loud smacks of their skin on the stage—you remember that one, Phillip? Now, we were a little worried for them, curious about their motives and maybe their needs, but that didn’t mean we weren’t entertained! Ha!
This drag show in Montreal in no way disappointed. Entertainment rained down from the ceiling. They had female and male dancers who were equally lovely and elegant. I’ve actually never seen a male dancer as graceful as this beautiful black man. He was mesmerizing. Moved more like a woman than I do, ha! Kudos to you, friend, wherever you are.
BUT – the best part was the MC (often is – the good ones are massively talented). She was hilarious, perceptive, insightful, with exceptional timing.
She grabbed this face on a stick from a bachelorette party there that was waving them around. “This the lucky loser?” she asked, then she licked the face and handed it back. HA! But, while she was giving her spiel there was this guy in the front row just tearing up this burrito—looked like a foot-long, hell maybe a foot-wide, too. To the point that the MC finally calls this guy out, gets the spotlight on him, and asks “Where did you get that exceptional burrito you are interrupting our show with, Sir?” He said Donny’s and you better guess who got on their phone immediately looking that place up. MMMmmmm-hhhmmm. And guess who got their own exceptional burrito on the way home.
Phillip’s response. “The man did not lie. This is a show-stopping burrito.”
Tim Meadows Spotting
Fun as all that was, though, it was not the biggest highlight of the trip … FOR ME. I am a huge celebrity spotter. I always think I’ve seen the latest star on whatever series walking down the street. While I am typically wrong, I have found a few gems out there. Hayden Panettierre is one.
PROOF:
And even actor Gaten Matarazzo from Stranger Things! Don’t worry, I didn’t accost him. You can tell by the look on his friend’s face, though, that he thought I was about to. The man was not wrong.
But, I am pretty darn certain in Montreal I spotted this guy!
Tim Meadows. Does anyone know whether he lives in Montreal (or goes there often) and/or whether he does yoga or Pilates? Because I swear it was him getting out of an Uber with a rolled-up yoga mat. You’ll be glad to know I was not creepy at all (I swear!). I took the typical stalker pic of him—over my shoulder, while pretending to text, like a respectable ogler. In full disclosure, the only reason I did not run up to him (Tim!) and gush over the undeniable Ladies Man was because Phillip wouldn’t let me. But what do you think? Did I find that guy or what??
Alright. Innocence, a Broad. Or maybe I should say: A Blonde, Abroad. How did we do? Do you like these Annie-style “TO DESTINATION” travel bits?
I plan to share a few more – Park City, UT is next, then our biggest trip of the year (one of the reasons we decided to sell Ubi it’s that big). Anyone want to guess what continents Phillip and I will be traveling to this summer, in 2026? Anyone who already knows, I don’t care, jump in there. Guess again! This is our International Year. You can just call Phillip Mr. Worldwide. Although, sorry Pit. My Phillip is way hotter! Ha!
Note Card Answers:
Annie’s: “I have a crazy craving to savor Tonkinese soup.”
Phillip’s: “I dream of a delicious bite of fried chicken.” His response: “Probably right,” lol.
Amazing! Thanks for sharing the adventure.
You bet! We had an incredible time!