Montreal

Let’s go back about a month……..so it’s one week before the One of A Kind Show…there is lot’s to do and I find myself hovering….”Wayne is the website up to date?…..what are you doing about our booth lighting?” “Dawn do we have enough julz?….have you made enough earrings to match all our necklaces?”……geeeezzzz even I’m getting sick of my own voice.

I needed to be refreshed and re-charged… one week before the show and I wanted to see new things.  My team is so amazing that they are more than capable of working together to ensure a successful show.  I needed to vacate the studio and bring home some fresh energy!

Ottawa and Montreal was my destination!  Besides meeting up with some beautiful stores in both Montreal and Ottawa my trip was a huge success on a personal level too.  I drove through a horrible snowstorm but arrived safely to sunny skies in Ottawa just in time for my 2:00 appointment with Magpie jewellery.  After a wonderful visit with them I checked in to my hotel.  (Got  a great deal on Hotwire) I then bundled up and strolled through downtown Ottawa, The Byward Market and then over to the Parliament buildings.  Feeling PROUD to be Canadian I relished in beauty until dusk and then treated myself to some sushi on the way back to the hotel.    To top off the evening the hotel offered a complementary Sauna Room that guests could book and enjoy for an hour.  Ohhhhh it was heavenly!  I felt so good from this wonderful treat.  All of a sudden everything was in perspective again.  That rush, rush, rush feeling I was feeling only earlier that day had vanished.  I vowed to practice this feeling of peace and tranquility in my regular setting when I got back home.  Why is that so difficult???? Especially when we all know that this is the road to success and happiness, enjoying the moments.

On to more moments……my next series of moments were in Montreal.  My first evening there I checked in to yet another fantastic Hotwire Deal.  The Candlewood Suites, full kitchen, big room, it was like I had my own little apartment.  I checked in and raced out again to enjoy the afternoon and evening.  While strolling through old Montreal I walked past the Notre Dame and noticed they were having a light show inside the church.  I bought my ticket and 10 minutes later the show started.  It was so incredible, pink, turquoise, yellow and purple lights lit up the inside of the church from different angles, it was truly magical.  My next destination was FOOD! I hit a local grocery store and bought myself some nice Quebec vino and a big piece of Salmon, a sweet potato and some salad fixings, oh yes and a little triangle of brie!  I was feeling very french!

When I arrived back at the hotel I asked the girl at the desk where I could pick up the BEST Montreal bagels in the morning.  She told me of a place called St-Viateur, she thought it was a little over a half hour walk.  I was on a mission!  Set my alarm for 6:30am and was walking up hill by 7am for bagels…..wooooaaahhhh!!! Arrival time 8:15…..a little more than half an hour but totally worth it!  I ate two bagels on the walk back I was so starving!  This place was incredible.  You MUST go next time you are in Montreal, family run biz and open 24hours!  Good news, you can order these bagels on-line too!  The magic to the flavour is the wood burning stove as you can see in the picture here. I found out later on that Michael Ignatieff was in with his peeps for bagels the very next day!  I’ll bet he didn’t walk up hill for 50 minutes!

I hope you are all enjoying yourselves and taking little mini-vacations or just escaping when you can!  This spring that’s coming should be here soon, I do have chives and parsley in my garden already….we just need some good old vitamin D on our skin!  It’s coming, I’m sure!!!!!