Summertime 2017 Happenings in Provincetown, Massachusetts

It's hard to imagine it's been over three years since my last posting on this blog.

I wasn't sure that the adventure we're currently undertaking "qualified" for this blog, but Mike convinced me that our having rented a cottage for the summer season here in Provincetown qualifies as a fully appropriate opportunity for capturing "my thoughts about places I'm visiting, planning to visit or have been, and other related topics", as originally conceived when I began this blog.

So let the stories begin!

Our 800 square foot cottage is blissfully quiet, yet located just a block and a half from the harbor.

Restaurant L'Express

L'Express restaurant on Saint Denis was a consistently recommended choice by all of our "in the know" sources on dining in Montreal, including our guidebooks, our hosts and even our men's clothing salesman, JP.  We weren't disappointed.

For many years this restaurant has maintained the standard of everything good to be expected of a Parisian-style bistro.

Mike tried his first Pot au Feu (French style stew) here, and, I'm delighted to say; has fallen in love with it.

This is dining as it should be...  A totally delightful experience.

What Happens at McGill U on a Quiet Day

McGill U is Canada's most international university, "located in vibrant multicultural Montreal, in the francophone province of Quebec."

It is also "1st in Canada among medical-doctoral universities (Maclean's), 21st in the world (QS World University Rankings)," as well as being CLOSED on Good Friday!

Oh well, if we weren't going to be witnessing the hustle and bustle of everyday student life the guidebooks had promised, we were at least going to take advantage of an excellent men's clothing shop we found!

Not TOO much damage done, between the two of us, but doesn't everyone deserve a little wardrobe refreshening from time to time?

When in Montreal...

One must take in some of the local culture, non?

Or as Mike would say, "that was one big Madonna!", (to the tune of "Vogue" in the background).

A Side Trip to Belgium

We found rue Saint Denis to be a bit more upscale than Saint Laurent, with the emphasis more on clothing boutiques and day spas, with not a single Jewish deli, Portuguese bakery or Syrian restaurant in sight.

But what we did find that was much to our liking was a great, sunny outdoor spot to take in the remains of the sunlit day.

Aupres De Ma Blonde was like a side trip to Belgium, with its Belgian "pression" (draft beer), it's mountain of garlic and white wine mussels and perfectly prepared frites.

We declare our first meal in Montreal an unequivocal success!

A Plan to Eat Our Way through Montreal

Our 5.5 hour trip to Montreal was an easy one, with the major surprise being the amount of snow still lingering in the upper reaches of New Hampshire and Vermont.

Upon arrival, we decided to stretch our legs with a tour of our neighborhood "The Plateau", and proceeded to its major thoroughfare of ethnic and gastronomical delights: Saint Laurent Street.

Almost immediately, we stumbled into this incredible shop where our taste buds got an early workout: look at that glorious selection of cheese!

And chocolate!

Not too much damage was done as we managed to get out of there with (only) a killer ham and cheese sandwich, a baguette, a delightful whiskey marmalade jam I was dying to try and - of course - a chunk of cheese to sample at breakfast the next day.

We're off to a good start!

A Sweeping Wind in Boston

Maybe this is a good metaphor as I'm finally prepared to start blogging again, one year after Erik and I toured Southeast Asia together.

The specific occasion?

Mike and I are taking an extended Easter weekend trip to Montreal!

More to come...