Montreal Madness with CJ

So this weekend was the epic beginning of what is to be an awesome travel blog. CJ and I have decided to be travel buddies....let me explain:

(yep, we're kinda ridiculous)

So here are the pictures you've all been waiting for ;-)

Ok, just a minute before we get to Montreal...last week's lunch creation - Quinoa Casserole! Easy, healthy, and tasty - you should make it.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand - gotta love Oreo Ice Cream Cones

THE START OF AN ADVENTURE.....(look how good a driver she is - she refuses to take her eyes off the road) :)

Quick stop at Wendy's for lunch

You can't really see it, but it says HELLO WELCOME TO CANADA (can you tell it's my first trip there?)

Look at the weird stop lights! They're sideways...

Montreal night skyline

Breakfast Saturday morning - Chez Cora (a Canadian chain)

The enticing menu...I wanted everything (surprise surprise)

My final decision - sausages wrapped in buckwheat crepes smothered in cheddar cheese

...with a TON of fresh fruit

You would think they'd make these in America....

The Olympic Stadium...which was connected to...

The Biodome! It was so cool - it had different nature settings from across the globe. This was a tropical rain forest and this little guy wanted the door curtains.

Then he tried to attack my phone (kinda scary)

CJ - what are these thingies called again? Chupacabras? Cookaburros?

Can you see him?

Pretty parrots

And pretty plants

Awwwwwwww kissing parrots!

I just love the colors of their feathers!

His fur looked synthetic

...but he's still so cute and furry!

We had to try the bat ears :)

Crocodiles

Other type of parrot

Porcupine...in a tree!

Lynx

Scary looking

I felt like I was in Finding Nemo

"Fish are friends - not food!"

*cue Jaws music* - watch out little ducky!

See it? See it?

Cute seagulls

This is not where (most) mammal babies come from

Adorable pelican

I want to take him home!

And penguins

LOVE the yellow feathers :)

Can you believe this was $2000???

Beautiful cemetery

L'Oratoire Saint-Joseph

HUGE

AND EVEN HUGER

Beautiful pipe organ (wish I could have heard it play...next trip!)

Alter

View from the top

WAHOO (that's me jumping)

At least the green was bright (even if the weather was yucky)

Pretty CJ

I couldn't get over the fact that there were 8 different shades of green in the same shot

Along the walk

It was very peaceful

For lighting candles

The story goes that St. Joseph was a healer - the hall was lined with canes and crutches from the people he healed

(pretty)

The cathedral was literally built into the mountain

...like *literally* built into the mountain

All the cool kids are doing it (Instagram reflection pictures)

My fist lacrosse game! CJ's little brother Mathew had a game we got to go see

This sport is SO INTENSE. Great spectator sport

The goalies looked like marshmallows

Ready to go out!

And of course we had to stop for late-night food - I got my first shawarma since Paris and man was it AMAZING

We went to "the mountain" for a little walk - apparently there was a big bike race going on as well

The Mountain

There were vendors set up around the statue and I got new earrings!

Seriously wanted this earring tree stand but they were asking for $100 for it....not gonna happen

Thought hard about getting this little guy (ended up not getting him)

Drum circle

We both got fun new earrings!

Ooooh - what can this be?

Frite Alors! 

(mouth is watering)

Canadian specialty - poutine! Fries with gravy and cheese curds - YUM

And of course more fries (with sauces)

Om nom nom nom 

Dinner followed by a coffee, of course

Top hat in 30 meters

MMMMMMMMMMM FRESH BAGELS

Ok - so remember the beef shawarma you saw earlier? Well CJ let me try her "Spicy Chicken Creation" and I HAD to go back for more - you have NO IDEA how good this stuff is

Awesome ingredients

George (the new owner) let me behind the counter for a photo opp :)

And here it is, folks - the Spicy Chicken Creation. I could eat one every day.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

CJ and Freckles (a monster of a pup)

My food montage

Biodome montage

Newest addition to my metro card collection (Boston T, NYC subway, London Tube, Paris metro, Italian metro, Canadian metro)

Obligatory 'together photo'

The map for the Canadian metro - pretty simple eh? (did you catch that? Eh?)

Fun sign

Fun shoes with fun metro floor

Cavernous metro station

Monday morning - Old Port

If my apartment could be made of flowers I'd totally do that

(unsure)

(unsure from the back...front?)

Breakfast of champions (felt like I was back in Paris)

CJ did her nails - loved the color contrast here

Here it comes!

The underground mall

Time for....an otter tail! no, a beaver claw! ox tongue?

BEAVER TAIL (fried dough with Nutella)

Hahaha look at these candied apples

...not quite a Paris metro station...

...but still pretty cool :)

Lunch!

French Onion Soup (duh)

Cute restaurant 

Lamb shank

Creme brulee and coffee

CJ's dessert (caramel cream?)

New shoes!

Look at these weird light posts!

We went to a Middle Eastern grocery store and saw so much cool stuff (I could've bought the whole store out)

Why can't we find this in the states???? It's not like pita pockets - it's thinner

Cheese...in a can

Almonds

Parting shot as we cross the bridge

Slight fender-bender this morning...

(CJ's ketchup chips...interesting)

...but we got an upgrade for the rest of the trip home!

And as soon as I got home, it was straight to the kitchen with my purchases from the Middle Eastern grocery store

I'm making my own version of the Spicy Chicken Creation! Garlic Cream, slaw, chicken, potato wedges on toasted pita - SO GOOD

Chicken and potato filling

Not *quite* the same, but good enough

The condiments

CJ's mom makes pottery and let us pick whatever we wanted! How cool is that?! I'm going to use this one as a cheese tray

New jewelry tray

Table centerpiece (and serving platter)

And now, dear readers, I'm relaxing on the couch with a glass of wine and watching crappy TV. This is living :)

No idea what's coming up next...but can't wait to tell you all about it!