Well Loved
12 years ago
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Fête des travailleurs: a photo essay
May 1st, around the world is International Workers' Day. Bo very much wanted to march in the annual parade with the baby and I went along too. This was my first ever political demonstration, but I admit that I enjoyed people-watching the most! (I loved that my zoom lens allowed me to take a lot of close-ups unbeknownst to my subjects). Enjoy the colors of the revolution!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
A pretzel is not just a pretzel!
Acquaintances I've made here in Québec often ask me "so what do you miss about the US?" I can be heard answering, "pas grande chose, vraiment." (Not much, really). Obviously, I miss family, friends, and old stomping grounds, but from time to time, I do think of certain things that I miss.
Things.
Specifically, grocery-related things!
For example, Thomas' English muffins...what different brands call English muffins around here cannot be fork-split, and are severely lacking both the nook-and-cranny-ness as well as that sourdough taste. My mom brings me some once in a while. Yum!
Secondly, pretzel rods. Never thought I'd miss those, or the other missing pretzel varieties (like the big chunky pretzels), but here, my choices are limited to pretzel sticks and the small sized traditional knot. Of course, some might say they all taste the same, but it must be the salt/dough ratio. (Not grocery-related, but there are also no pretzel vendors...not on the street corners, no Auntie Anne's (According to their website: "The supermodel of baked dough."), none in those turning warmers in the convenience stores...no sir, nope, zilch on the doughy pretzels).
Girl Scout cookies--actually, just Thin Mints, (described on their website as "The most enduring and universally familiar Girl Scout cookie."). I happened to notice on Facebook that a friend of mine in NH was placing an order and I jumped in and asked her really nicely if she would order a couple of boxes for me. They arrived a little over a week ago, and I have managed to not devour all of them, yet!
Corn muffins--something I rarely bought in the US, but the fact that they don't seem to make them here baffles me and makes me miss them. No muffins, no muffin mixes (I've seen bran, oat, carrot, blueberry and chocolate chip, but no corn!). OK, so I know that corn is a very 'American' grain, but since most things have crossed the border, why not corn muffins, or at least the mixes? Jiffy, anyone?
The next two are items that my mother, and probably her mother, nearly always had (or maybe still has) in stock: Krazy salt and Underwood Deviled Ham (Apparently, America's #1 meat spread...). I had forgotten about Krazy salt until my friend blogged about it a while ago.
Two very geographically specific items: biscuits and sausage gravy from the Hawthorne Valley farm store (my former Tuesday morning ritual, thanks to chef Larry) and Camphill Copake chocolate chip cookies.
OK, I need to stop...while checking out the website for Thomas' English muffins, I saw that the same bakeries also produce the following brands--Boboli, Freihofer's and Entenmann's (crumb cake! Sigh!)--all unavailable to my American taste buds. I think I'll go eat a couple of Thin Mints and call it a night!
Things.
Specifically, grocery-related things!
For example, Thomas' English muffins...what different brands call English muffins around here cannot be fork-split, and are severely lacking both the nook-and-cranny-ness as well as that sourdough taste. My mom brings me some once in a while. Yum!
Secondly, pretzel rods. Never thought I'd miss those, or the other missing pretzel varieties (like the big chunky pretzels), but here, my choices are limited to pretzel sticks and the small sized traditional knot. Of course, some might say they all taste the same, but it must be the salt/dough ratio. (Not grocery-related, but there are also no pretzel vendors...not on the street corners, no Auntie Anne's (According to their website: "The supermodel of baked dough."), none in those turning warmers in the convenience stores...no sir, nope, zilch on the doughy pretzels).
Girl Scout cookies--actually, just Thin Mints, (described on their website as "The most enduring and universally familiar Girl Scout cookie."). I happened to notice on Facebook that a friend of mine in NH was placing an order and I jumped in and asked her really nicely if she would order a couple of boxes for me. They arrived a little over a week ago, and I have managed to not devour all of them, yet!
Corn muffins--something I rarely bought in the US, but the fact that they don't seem to make them here baffles me and makes me miss them. No muffins, no muffin mixes (I've seen bran, oat, carrot, blueberry and chocolate chip, but no corn!). OK, so I know that corn is a very 'American' grain, but since most things have crossed the border, why not corn muffins, or at least the mixes? Jiffy, anyone?
The next two are items that my mother, and probably her mother, nearly always had (or maybe still has) in stock: Krazy salt and Underwood Deviled Ham (Apparently, America's #1 meat spread...). I had forgotten about Krazy salt until my friend blogged about it a while ago.
Two very geographically specific items: biscuits and sausage gravy from the Hawthorne Valley farm store (my former Tuesday morning ritual, thanks to chef Larry) and Camphill Copake chocolate chip cookies.
OK, I need to stop...while checking out the website for Thomas' English muffins, I saw that the same bakeries also produce the following brands--Boboli, Freihofer's and Entenmann's (crumb cake! Sigh!)--all unavailable to my American taste buds. I think I'll go eat a couple of Thin Mints and call it a night!
Saturday, January 30, 2010
I think I used to be a blogger...
...what happened?
Well, I had a baby in August and I didn't want this blog to turn into "another baby blog." But now I have somewhat changed my mind. I wanted to blog about my life in Montreal, as opposed to other places I've lived, and well, now my life in Montreal includes a baby!
So, my days are spent with my bouncing baby (who needs an official blog name). She is a delight. She's healthy, smiley, and an outstanding sleeper. We cherish her every day in the present and look forward with anticipation to knowing the person she will become! We go out for one reason or another on nearly a daily basis. At first it was simply to get some fresh air or doing some small errands, but now, in addition, we are in a class together, although the baby's role is rather passive. It's a class called Cardio-traineau: twice a week we, a group of a dozen or so new mothers, gather at a meeting point on the walking/bike path along the river (which happens to be practically right outside my front door), babies in tow in sleds and layers of clothing appropriate to Quebec winters. And then we work out! It's a challenging class that is getting me lots of fresh air and is reconnecting me with muscles and joints that I had forgotten existed. It's a great way to meet other moms from the neighborhood with similar-aged children, especially great for me being still somewhat new in town and looking to establish some female friends. (I think I'm the oldest, but who cares? Not me!)
As for other errands, I am, for the time being, limited to those small purchases I can carry in one shopping bag. Since the little darling doesn't know how to sit up yet (for example, in a grocery cart), she's in her stroller for our journeys. I live in a third floor apt. and walking up those stairs with babe-in-arms does not allow me to buy anything bigger than a breadbox. We will move in June to a 1st floor condo--phew! (More about that later).
Soon I hope to blog about Canada's health care system, the advantages (and hidden traps) of having a baby in Quebec and probably some smaller posts on the day-in, day-out of Montreal mommying, or in other words, life.
Well, I had a baby in August and I didn't want this blog to turn into "another baby blog." But now I have somewhat changed my mind. I wanted to blog about my life in Montreal, as opposed to other places I've lived, and well, now my life in Montreal includes a baby!
So, my days are spent with my bouncing baby (who needs an official blog name). She is a delight. She's healthy, smiley, and an outstanding sleeper. We cherish her every day in the present and look forward with anticipation to knowing the person she will become! We go out for one reason or another on nearly a daily basis. At first it was simply to get some fresh air or doing some small errands, but now, in addition, we are in a class together, although the baby's role is rather passive. It's a class called Cardio-traineau: twice a week we, a group of a dozen or so new mothers, gather at a meeting point on the walking/bike path along the river (which happens to be practically right outside my front door), babies in tow in sleds and layers of clothing appropriate to Quebec winters. And then we work out! It's a challenging class that is getting me lots of fresh air and is reconnecting me with muscles and joints that I had forgotten existed. It's a great way to meet other moms from the neighborhood with similar-aged children, especially great for me being still somewhat new in town and looking to establish some female friends. (I think I'm the oldest, but who cares? Not me!)
As for other errands, I am, for the time being, limited to those small purchases I can carry in one shopping bag. Since the little darling doesn't know how to sit up yet (for example, in a grocery cart), she's in her stroller for our journeys. I live in a third floor apt. and walking up those stairs with babe-in-arms does not allow me to buy anything bigger than a breadbox. We will move in June to a 1st floor condo--phew! (More about that later).
Soon I hope to blog about Canada's health care system, the advantages (and hidden traps) of having a baby in Quebec and probably some smaller posts on the day-in, day-out of Montreal mommying, or in other words, life.
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