food & freedom holiday in montreal

i have been home for a few days and that is how long it has taken me to calm down after my withdrawal from montreal, i had that good of a time.

( i hardly picked up my camera but i got a few shots)

it started when Tzurit picked me up on the hill, i love how much she loved the animals, it was the first time we met in person and i was nervous a little but as soon as she said can i pet the dogs i knew we would be alright. as we set off for montreal she put two maybe three huge brown paper handle bags from her amazing bakery in my lap, i was clearly going to start my food and freedom trip before we even left the driveway.

we drove through the  vermont country side as we chatted about our lives each asking one another questions, laughing, pondering and more laughing. we arrived in montreal and went up to our hotel room, then quickly set out for dinner the first night was one food disaster after the next but we still smiled, after all we where in montreal! the next morning we headed to Le Cartet for breakfast, i having my first baguette or bread of any kind since march and i enjoyed it fully! then on our way out Tzurit picked up chocolate since Le Carter has walls & walls of chocolate. she bought enough to to feed an entire nation but in her words, in case we are ever stranded on a highway  do you see why i love her so!  from there we went to Olivier Potier i spoke about this bakery before, we ordered our coffees, picked out many things from the bakery shelves and sat outside. the staff that took care of us was the sweetest guy he treated us like royalty and we kinda felt like we were for a moment. we sat outside tasting everything from financiers, almond croissants, apple tartatin and more, when i went inside to ask for a bag for what we did not eat, our kind waiter  shared such kind words with me to the point i hardly made it back to the table before big tears fell as i recounted to tzurit what he had shared with me. from there we decided to walk stopping in and out of stores before sore feet has us looking for a metro and when we did it turned out to be a maze, the longest subway station walk, we laughed so hard, took pictures. we stopped in more bakeries and stores before heading to the hotel room for a quick rest before going to Tzurit birthday dinner at Laloux, which was beautifully and simply decorated.

The next morning we started out at Olive Gourmand, one of my favorite places, can i just say how delicious everything is, Tzurit, loved it as well proof is we ate there two more times.  one afternoon, Aran who had just flown in for a workshop joined us along with mayssam the workshop organizer.  Tzurit and i headed to Mile End to look around and shop, we stopped into montreal famous bagel shop
St- Viateur and had bagels right from the wood fire, then coffee at Sparrow, okay there was a cast iron apple crumble too and a stop at my favorite vintage store Citizen vintage ( posted here before) where Tzurit scored a great jacket! then we discovered a little drogheria fine, a woman with an italian old world sexiness to her, a small kitchen with large pots creating her own sauces, olive oils and such, so perfect a place both in conception and details. That evening we had dinner with aran, mayssam at 400 coups it was delicious, i had a fresh cucumber soup i will never forget and the very talented pastry chef  Patrice Demers and owner spoiled us the restaurant it self is gorgeous! it was so great seeing aran in my hometown i think we both felt a freedom we are not used too because  usually we have a schedule & work to keep.

the next morning i picked up my mum and brought her back where she got to meet aran & tzurit what a treat this was. we had breakfast at  Le Carter, my last toasted baguette and more chocolate purchases by aran, my mum and tzurit.

I had one of the nicest times, felt very honored to have been invited by Tzurit, to be able to get to know her while having  big belly laughs, genuine moments of conversation.  instantly before we had even met in person felt like we where good friends and now i know for sure. Oh and incase you are looking for the bakery of your dreams Tzurit  has created it, twice-Tatte & Tatte Two

the montreal i used to know ( the geraniums at the window)

 when i was younger i moved to old montreal into my first loft. at the time there was hardly anything in town, just empty buildings, cobble stone streets  an obscure Jazz place " air du temps"  and a few restaurants in the center. my  loft was housed in a run down building, first floor belonged to  sculptors, second floor chefs, third  floor painters, fourth photographers and fifth musicians, i lived on the fourth but i could have lived on the fifth too for i made  money to buy film by playing drums in the subway , yes i did but to hear me play today you might say that people dropped coins in my hat out of pity.

on my last trip i started noticing a shadow of myself walking along side of me, whispering about the montreal i used to know. the quiet winter walks along the side walk edge. the greys, the weathered doors and handles and dirty french panes. so much has changed now, every building converted too condo's restaurants and shops. only those with a certain income can live there now and i am not sure if  it ever gets as quiet as i remember but just for a moment i heard the sounds and saw scenes from a place i used to know, just for moment i saw a reflection through the geraniums covered glass of the  person i used  to be and a place that helped shaped who i am today.

beyond the shop window

last weekend i took a blogger friend that was visiting for the week to montreal. What was so different about this visit to montreal is that it was purely for site seeing, browsing and eating. not seeing my family while i was there was difficult, but i must say the places we visited had great feel to them and quickly became part of a "must visit again list".  we rented a flat from Air b&b and it was perfect, the view of the montreal skyline was dreamy and the gourmet shop under it was brilliant. while Josephine shopped ( a lot :)) i took pictures, there was mi & co on Laurier  a clothing shop,  what caught my eye was the cafe at the back of the shop, many montreal boutiques house espresso & tea bars this shop included a light fare menu. the girl that worked the cafe quickly caught my eye, adorable was she.

a little later we walked into citizen vintage on rue st-laurent, a beautiful array of florals and plaid filled  the shop. one of the lovely owners wore a flowerary dress and others hung beautifully from racks, josephine even found one that fit her perfectly. i liked this minimilast approach to the shop.

We stopped many times through out the day at different cafes, i had my share of mochas best three where at Olivier Poitier, Olive et Gourmando and the Le Petit Hotel. that evening we returned to la rue Laurier fro dinner at Lameac , it was bustling there after ten menu was exceptional and reasonable, i had the grilled calamari tossed with zucchini and onions with a delicate sauce and a Saumon Pot de feu, a poached salmon in a delicate broth with turnips carrots and brussel sprouts leaves i am still thinking about it. Sunday morning we strolled after the most incredible brunch at  Le Cartet.

more from mtl soon. ( broken computer, it was time. although i now realize i bought my camera, computer and car all the same year and all have chosen 2012 to say goodbye, but i am lucky that they have seen as much as i)

(the hill is almost all green, i have been working hard all week mostly clearing. the next few days the sun and warmth will make working outdoors a joy.)

my time in montreal

last weekend i went to montreal where i am from. i had wanted  a few days in the city, traffic lights, cafes, good food and conversation. I got all this and more. saturday was spent in old montreal, the weather was beautiful melting snow filled the roads and the sun was bright. we had a healthy but delicious lunch and Veritas, we went in and out of little shops that seemed to be showering us with gifts. one of the shops Saithong,  gave the kids beautiful carved pens, Merci Jan guy!. In another shop 

Zone Orange gave us cupcakes to go as many as we wanted, thanks Samuel! the whole day did feel as if we where celebrating someone's birthday. I love walking down the cobblestone streets, peaking through alleys and popping into new cafes. later still we went to the ethnic market where the most beautiful lady we have ever seen turned around to my sister and i and said " wow you  are beautiful" haha! honestly we could not speak for truly i think her skin was made of milk and her smile was capable of eating the sun, although i did questions her eye sight:) in the evening we  prepared such a wonderful dinner filled with all our favourites and shared funny stories that involved bad driving, police and fines.

I will be going again this weekend to bring the children home( niece and nephew) and already know what places i will be visiting and dining at.

* elle took  the photograph of the draft horse

the wind that blows the snow and a weekend away

 the snow did come and it brought some incredible winds, in fact they came from a direction that i have not experienced on the hill. so much wind that the house is having trouble warming up. when it began to fall sophie and i went outside, she loves the snow as much as i.  I also found the young chickens walking in the snow, how the wind does not take them something i often think about, especially when i see little barn swallows sitting on tiny twigs in a blizzard. will i be going snow shoeing, i am afraid not for the snow that has fallen has only accumulated at snow drifts yet snow is still falling so i will  hope for the possibility.

I will be heading to montreal tomorrow for the weekend and i will come back with elle and dylan who will be spending their winter break here on the hill. how i am excited for  few days in montreal and having my niece and nephew hang out with me on the hill.

* oh and i have nine roosters, which is not good thing so i need to find homes for some, this is not easy to say at all but for the well being of all the flock it is for the best. only to a loving (no kill) home. they are so sweet, they truly are.

* sometimes, i feel like i am a "little bit country" with my words & photographs, the city trip is coming at a perfect time.

the first book for read with me la porte rouge

I can not tell you how excited i am for all those who joined the la porte rouge book club, forty three to be exact!
choosing the first book was not easy, i asked advice, pondered and finally decided on
Tess of the D'Urbervillesby Thomas Hardy.

so here we go!
email me if you would like a logo sent to you for your blog or web page.
let me know if i should start a twitter of facebook page for our club by leaving me a comment!

i can not wait to go on this journey and meet Tess of the D'Ubervilles.

i hope i did good by you, thank you again for joining me!

with the upmost excitement and kindness
nadia

* update, it will never be too late to join! so all those who have commented you are in the club! and we are gald to have you!

bright star and september

dear friends, i have just come back from montreal where we enjoyed a family and friend party, walked in old montreal, hung out in my old neighbourhood of notre dame de grace sipping mocha and reading good canadian newspapers. we have also returned the children as they get ready for another school year.

the house much quieter now yet the sound of the wind and rain keep me company. every year at this time it is almost as if i welcome a new year i find myself making list, resolutions and shedding of things i have accumulated. i love waiting for september to come.

today i have finally promised myself to watch bright star, i have wanted too and yet avoided it too. but now i hardly can wait! the weather and temperature is perfect, the kettle is on and baked goods from montreal await.....
i do believe i will emerge from this movie a changed person at least one can hope!

post revisited ; old montreal april 22, 2008

dearest friends i know things must have gotten really boring around here. so much going on right now and that has not allowed me to venture out too much. besides how many cows shots can one reader take! so because the next few weeks will be crazy i have decided to post some of la porte rouge post from way back when i had a life (off the farm). I will see you soon, where we are going is the most amazing place-still on a farm but this one will be extra special, it comes with the use of a cabin in the woods, a beach house, the owners will build us an addition of my design to the existing house to make is feel like our very own(how great are they) but the best part of it all is their will be more animals to love, people to share ideas with and the the opportunity to travel. my first destination will be a real visit back home for a few days as soon as i can to walk the cobblestone streets while eating a baguette and enjoying the company of the ones i love the most. for the now lets travel back!