A "MAGNIFIQUE" TASTE of Montreal!

For all my blog readers old and new... 
sorry for my long lapse between posts... 
It's been busy, but it is all good!
This blog is all about my recent trip to MONTREAL... and it was 
REALLY MAGNIFICENT!!!!
I took 293 photos in total... but the ones in this post reveal a lot of our visits with my son, COLIN, and many of the places we ate while in Montreal... may have to do a few blogs to share all the sights we saw!


"I've got a good life and I don't think anything can rock that anymore."
-Liza Minnelli

Here is a photo from day 2 of our trip with our son, Colin in a lovely restaurant in Old Montreal called "Jardin Nelson" which featured live jazz by a 2 piece band of a piano and stand up bass.
The day before we met Colin at a place near his home called "Tabla Villiage" for supper.

Later on day 2 of our Montreal visit we met Colin's girlfriend, CARO.
He was so very proud to show her and his place off to us.
Colin introduced her as "The Love Of His Life",
later referring to her as "A KEEPER!"
It did my heart good to see him so content , happy and in love.
They made a lovely meal here for us which featured barbequed veggie burgers,
 a delicious beet, feta, and cashew salad, and the best potato/sweet potato mix ever!!!
Both Colin and Caro enjoy cooking...and they are really "TRES BON" at it, too!

Colin's room mates a great couple...
SHANY and his partner, (also named) CARO!
Here on their very cute and comfortable little patio out back. 

Day 3 of our trip enjoying some live jazz on Sainte Catherine's street
while enjoying a little lox and bagel up on a patio at the "Bistro SAO"
We enjoyed many free jazz venues, and this one does not look busy...
but many times the street was packed and hard to move.
Behind in the photo is the "RioTinto Alcon"stage which is one of many
stages to host free venues daily at the Jazz Festival...
which is the world's LARGEST JAZZ FESTIVAL".

Still day 3... still eating!!!!
This was July 4th and this was our supper out at a little
gourmet pub called "ALEXANDRE"
an open air restaurant which had a big American flag hanging in the window area,
(we can only see the bottom of it here.)

Later that day Brian and I took in more live free jazz on Saint Catherine's street,
followed by more jazz at the night club called "HOUSE OF JAZZ"

Day 4 began with another trip into OLD MONTREAL, here I am featuring one of the many STARBUCKS  seen throughout Montreal... I loved the old architecture on this one. 

A huge highlight for me on the trip was getting a ticket to see the legendary
LIZA MINELLI
The tickets to this Jazz Festival headliner were expensive, so I went on my own to this event... and I loved it. LIZA is a seasoned performer for sure,
and her 7 piece band, featuring Billy Strich on piano, was also STELLAR.

I was seated quite far away in a balcony box but was a rebel and took a zoomed in photo
(inspite of the announcements not to take photos!)
I was super impressed with her performance on a broken ankle... she pulled out all the punches and lots of charm and pizzaz. Her warm and sincere delivery was something that had the crowd on their feet from the start of the performance. The event was sold out and had the crowd standing many times throughout which Liza received so graciously. At the end following her signature piece of "NewYork, New York"... she returned to the stage to do
an acapella version of "I'll Be Seeing You", which brought tears to my eyes!
She was this year's recipient of the annual "ELLA FITZGERALD AWARD of EXCELLENCE", and went on to explain what a fan she was of ELLA growing up.
I thoroughly enjoyed this evening... one I will never forget....
 in fact I get goosebumps just thinking of the evening.

Before my evening at Liza Minnelli...
Brian and I met Colin for a supper and the two of them
went to spend a father -son evening together at a bar called "Katacomb's"
which features this painting on the outdoor patio painted by Colin's room mate, Shany. 

Day 5... Brian and I spent the morning wandering down Saint Denis street
followed by a visit to Saint Catherine's street by Colin's.
They close off about 8 blocks of it here and have it a decorated walk way
 for the summer time... here are Colin, Caro and Brian on our way out for yet another meal!

 Here is Caro with Colin at the Thai cuisine restaurant called
"BATO THAI"
It was a delicious meal.

Colin snapped this one of Brian and me  on the other side of the table! 

Colin and Caro at his place afterward for
a little beer... and tea! 

We enjoyed a few games of yatzee... or "YUM" as it is called in FRENCH.
It was fun to play this and recall times shared with my mom back in the days when we played it with her. Colin has much of mom's game strategies...we had a few laughs remembering how competitive mom was when she played.

Day 6... Brian was standing by
one of the many statues at the BELL CENTRE,
and later met Colin for a tour inside.

Brian at the BELL CENTRE. 

DANCERS... both whom I have taught at one point in their lives
ASHLEY danced at my studio, and
BRAIDEN took many summer schools in Lanigan
when I used to teach those years ago.
These 2 were dancing and representing Saskatoon at the" 5678 Showtime World Cup"
 in Montreal...and I happened to catch 5 of their dances at the competition held at
Queen Elizabeth Fairmont Hotel  while Brian and Colin were
doing the tour at the Bell Centre.
These two danced well winning many awards and making me proud!

Later that day Colin and Caro were busy fixing a fabulous  Mexican supper for us.
Here in their kitchen Colin was making mango salsa and some guacquamoli,
while Caro made refried beans for the burritos...
 another delicious meal for our final night in montreal. 

Here is the group on their patio enjoying the fabulous Mexican meal
followed by a delicious fruit  dessert made by the other roomate, Caro! 

on our final day in Montreal after much sight seeing, visiting, and jazzing it up, we made a trip to  the world renowned SCHWARTZ'S for a brisket sandwich, and pickle!
 Brian bought some brisket to bring home and make here, too... it is so good...and they sell vacuum packed smoked packs of it there.
Celine Dion purchased this restaurant in March of this year.

Before Colin and his girlfriend, Caro drove us to the airport,
 I managed to squeeze in a little TAPPINESS with Colin's friend, Caro,
who has just recently taken up tap dancing.
She proved to be a very KEEN STUDENT!!!
 It was a fun little session in their little space in the place where they all live!

One last farewell to our lovely Bed and Breakfast brownstone
 called"Hotel AMBROSE" located half a block off Sherbrooke on Stanley .
Anyone planning a visit to Montreal in the future...
I recommend this place, we had a lovely stay here.


So the above were only a handful
of the many photos I took while there.
In spite of the fact I am sometimes annoying
 to the family when I pull out my camera
all the time,  I am always very pleased
 I take the time to capture the events
along the way,  because this is how
I will keep those
MAGNIFIQUE MEMORIES
alive forever!

This was a very fun filled and refreshing holiday for Brian and me...and although we do not see Colin often, this trip we enjoyed every minute of time spent with him.

I have now completed another
JAZZ FESTIVAL SEASON
for another year...

Next week I am teaching a TAP CLASS as a fund raiser for a child needing surgery.
It will be held at Dance Saskatchewan
from 6:30- 7:30 PM Tuesday, July 17th,
for a drop in fee of $10.00 per dancer... all going to AEDAN'S ANGELS
I will gage my class to the level of
who shows up to take it!
Anyone is welcome to come and
TAP into a good cause.

On that note...
here is my rhyme of the day...

The songs of summer have been
filled with such pizzazz,
From a little punk rock
to lots of fun JAZZ!
From swinging at Sainte-Catherine
for Montreal's fest...
The songs of this summer
have sure been the best!
Visits with many
who share what I do,
And also with many
into other things, too!
Love when the family can
just reunite,
It makes my heart smile
from morning till night.
The songs of this summer
sure set a smooth tone...
Last week the tones were
all "C'EST SI BON!"
T'was C'EST MAGNIFIQUE
and all was TRES BIEN...
Until we return to
sweet Montreal once gain.
A city with so much
to do from the start...
It's a place that is filled
with the songs of my heart!