Direct from the Museum

The new exhibition at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Beaver Hall Group.

Mark it on your calendar, this is a good one. The exhibition will be open until the 31th of January .

Enjoy your day,

Teresa Flores

Welcome back Lady Snow

It's been an odd winter so far, we made it to the 27 of December without snow and spring time temperatures. .. not bad for a green Christmas in Montreal.

Well, that was perfect until yesterday when the snow started to fall up until tonight. And it is still falling, 30 centimeters so far. 

Not bad for the first snowstorm of the season. What should we do in this weather? Well my friends, there's not much to do with it, just deal with it. So, be prepare to shovel because this is just the beginning of another Canadian winter.

My strategy to deal with the cool days outdoors, a big hot coffee. Today I'm adding some marshmallows to my moka. .. that will do for the day.

Enjoy the day, see you tomorrow. ..remember to wear your gloves

Teresa Flores

Christmas decoration is on

Frontal view at the Hudson Bay

When is the right time to start Christmas decoration? 
Well, if you see it has started at the Bay Hudson, then, it is time.

It is almost  December and you can start smelling the spirit of Christmas in the air. While I was walking around downtown Montreal today, I took a couple of pictures of how Christmas decoration is getting together. 

These are my two favorites by now:

Roots Store

American Eagle Outfitters

Let's see how the Christmas spirit start growing around the city. I think I'm going to install my Christmas tree this week...after all, I think it's time.

It's a cold night in Montreal, let's have a nice hot cocoa with some Cinnamon, it's gonna be great for a good nights  sleep.

See you tomorrow,

Teresa Flores

Our prayers are with the victims of attacks in Paris

After what happened yesterday in Paris, all we can do is elevate our prayers  to the victims and their families.  We are still in shock for the events and the sadness for the lost of so many inocent people in the name of cowardness. There is no so much to say, except to pray for peace. 

Like that song from Don Henley, in a New York Minute everything can change. 

Today we just need to keep closer to our love ones, because when things like this happens they just remind us our own vulnerabilities and that the price of peace sometimes is too high.

Let's pray for peace.

See you tomorrow, direct from Montreal,

Teresa Flores

Remembrance Day

Today is the day when people all over the world do their best to say thanks to all those men and women who risked their lives in the name of freedom, the end of First World War:

• "on November 11th at 11am in 1918 (the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month)" back in 1918.

Poppies in the Sunset on Lake Geneva" by Eric Hill from Boston, MA, USA - 

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

This famous and very emotional poem was written during the 1st World War by John McCrae (30th November 1872 — 28th January 1918) . McCrae was Major and a military doctor and was second in command of the 1st Brigade Canadian Field Artillery.(The Great War). 

Share a hot coffee with a friend today  taking some minutes to think about the cost of the war and the price of the peace.... And please,  buy a poppy.

See you tomorrow,

Teresa Flores

Visiting Montreal: The Old Port

If you are visiting Montreal this should be in your to-do-list of your  10 best places to visit in the city.

The architectural heritage surrounding all Montreal is impressive, but what you will see in the Old Port is to transport you to another century and you will feel like you are walking on any city in Europe. 

That is why Montreal is one of the favor places for movie filming and one of those cities with that Europe style right in North America. 

All year long the view is spectacular, the variety of activities is immense and you will find an excuse to come around all the time just for the sake of a magnificent outdoor. 

Whenever you find yourself this weekend without a plan for enternaiment take a nice walk to the Old Port, you will find a surprise for sure.  Check out the activities in the area at : Old Montreal Events.

Enjoy your time at the Port and while you are there, save part of that time to do some shopping and some well deserve hot coffee. We have 5C degrees in Montreal today, a hot expresso will do the work.

See you tomorrow,


Teresa Flores

Farmers Market in Montreal : Le Trottier

If you are living in the city of Montreal you should have probably realized the existence of Farmers markets within the city. If you are living in the area of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce you should probably be familiar with the Fruit and Veggies Market Le Trottier, near by the University of Montreal. 

This is not only a cute little place for fresh fruit and vegetables, it is also a place with great prices,  always supplied with fresh products and it is available 24/7 from April to November.

The market has been open for 35 years and is the shopping place for all the students living in the area and attending to the University of Montreal, as well as for the people leaving on this this big borough of Côte-des-Neiges.  

It is so fascinating to have a farmers market in an area that that is so full of activities and people in constant movement. As every typical zone close to an university location, you will find yourself surrounded of coffee shops, restaurants, bards, stores, supermarkets, pharmacies, and libraries. This is a area were you will find stores that are open mostly 24 hours / 7 days a week. It's like a little bit of bees close to a land of flowers, they are always in motion. If you combine that with the multiculturalism that characterized Côte-des-Neiges which is considered as "one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Canada" . 

Next time you visit the area of Côte-des-Neiges, besides being amazed by the all the people from more than 100 ethnic communities from all over the world, have one sushi Shop next to Vietnamese, Indian, Lebanese restaurants you could also go around for some groceries shopping, including fruits and veggies at Le Trottier. But you better get there before November 8 this year, when they will close for for the year, otherwise you should try again next April.

I'll have a hot coffee at the Premiere Moisson  a few steps from Le Trottier, this is a nice bakery... I think a dessert will be required.

Enjoy your day, see you tomorrow.

Teresa Flores at A coffee-shop in Montreal

Coffee Shop suggestion: Second Cup at Phillip Square

The Second Cup at Phillip Square

I would like to suggest you a nice coffee shop I like, downtown Montreal: Second Cup at Phillip Square. It's a nice place where you can sit on and chat with your friends while deciding your plans for the day, when visiting Montreal. The coffee shop has a nice lounge area  indoors. During the warm days of the year, you can also sit outdoors at the deck. 

You will find yourself on your way to the Museums,Quartier des spectacles, shopping centers and the financial area downtown Montreal.

Next time in the city, this is a nice place to start your day.

See you next time,

Teresa Flores at A coffee-shop in Montreal

Montreal: In between Autumn and Winter

It's a sunny and cold today in Montreal.  Well, not that cold for a city like this one...but,  for a Caribbean woman like me, minus five degrees it's quite cold. 

Even though we are officially in fall,  the low temperatures, the jingle spirit of Christmas decoration and the very fact that thanksgiving it's just around the corner, give us this confusing feeling that we might be in winter as well.

Well,  I should not complain, it's a beautiful sunny day and from the magnificent view from my window at work, it's perfect for a coffee.  A mocha from Tim Hortons would be perfect on a day like today.  Share one with some friends and co-workers on your coffee break. 

There is always a reason to be thankful, even on chills days like today.

Enjoy your coffee, see you tomorrow,

Teresa