tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52499841243093291232024-03-05T08:38:37.315-05:00Adventures in MontrealWest Coast Anglophone takes on life in La Petite France.JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-30780783633671415102015-01-17T11:26:00.000-05:002015-01-17T11:26:27.150-05:00Time For A Move: Goal For Mini-Bloggiesta<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This weekend is the first <a href="http://www.bloggiesta.com/2015/01/january-2015-mini-bloggiesta-starts-now/" target="_blank"><b>mini-Bloggiesta of 2015</b></a>. Whenever I participate in a Bloggiesta, I usually have a list of several things I tackle on this or one of my other blogs. In keeping with my <a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2015/01/one-word-to-change-2015.html" target="_blank"><b>one word</b></a> resolution this year, I only have <b>one</b> blogging goal for this weekend: <i style="font-weight: bold;">move</i> this blog over to WordPress.com. </div>
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<i>If </i>I get that done quickly, then I'll start tackling other items in my blogging backlog:</div>
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<li>Check out the mini-challenges. <b><a href="http://www.sueysbooks.blogspot.ca/2015/01/mini-bloggiesta-mini-challenge-yet.html" target="_blank">The Pinterest Project</a> </b>by <b><a href="https://twitter.com/SueySays" target="_blank">@SueySays</a> </b>would fit both with this blog (though, not the book part) and my business blog (which would be for books).</li>
<li>Write an overdue blog post for my <a href="http://www.projectmanagement.com/blog/Ask-An-Agilist/" target="_blank"><b>Ask An Agilist</b></a> blog on projectmanagement.com. </li>
<li>Update my list of blog post ideas</li>
<li>Write a post for my business blog.</li>
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Happy Bloggiesta! See you soon on WordPress.com!</div>
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JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-63767436067642978902015-01-10T17:37:00.000-05:002015-01-10T17:37:47.840-05:00One Word To Change 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you could pick one word to be your new year's resolution, what would it be? For the past couple of years, a friend has been sharing his one-word resolution and asking us to share ours. Normally I don't make resolutions because I always have more than one project in progress at any given moment in time. Still, choosing one word for the year intrigued me. Then I recently discovered <b><a href="http://oneword365.com/">OneWord365.com</a></b>, which has been creating global tribes around one word resolutions since 2009.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: proxima; font-size: 19px; line-height: 25.6666641235352px; text-align: center;"><i>"It will take intentionality and commitment, but if you let it, your one word will shape not only your year, but also you." - OneWord365.com</i></span></blockquote>
Last year I wrote a summary of 2013, but didn't manage to write a post for my 2014 personal goals, even though <a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2013/12/montreal-adventures-look-back-at-2013.html" target="_blank"><b>I had said I would</b></a>. I can at least come up with one word to become my compass for 2015.<br />
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Inspired by the need to live in a bigger home, my One Word for the year is <i style="font-weight: bold;">move.</i> This isn't just about moving my home. <i style="font-weight: bold;">Move</i> applies to all areas of my life. It is a reminder that I should get out, explore, have some adventures, which can be more than local. I love to travel. I cycled a lot to train for the MS Bike Tour in 2014, which also did a lot for my health and mental well-being. <i style="font-weight: bold;">Move</i> will be my mantra to get out and be active. Even in my personal and professional life, it will remind me that I cannot become complacent for these areas to grow. This blog will join my other blog on WordPress and evolve.<br />
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If you were to choose a word to summarize your resolutions and/or be your compass for the year, what would it be?<br />
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<br />JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-20477571116304407012014-12-27T11:31:00.001-05:002014-12-27T21:55:11.585-05:00Christmas Lights Around MontrealAs the days get shorter and colder in December, Montreal starts to become a little magical as the various Christmas displays appear around the city. Here are a few neighbourhoods worth braving the cold to enjoy the lights.<br />
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Old Montreal</h3>
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When you add some white snow and Christmas lights to the cobblestone streets, old stone buildings, Notre Dame cathedral, and Marche Bonsecours, Old Montreal transforms into a Christmas wonderland. It's a great neighbourhood to explore in early December to get into the holiday spirit.</div>
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<tr> <td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0t3p1sc0lKU0tlRZVg7TJBkjnIx4GEHdWX7y2mcMxw_tm1QMTBis9M_cHvG1nm5EYrd2B6lTwIYK9bzZ413pudsZIETahGVSXF4DSDY1TLiFLIHoq7VouiSdsBns91DalUB0Oy7G9zxs/s1600/DSC_0294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0t3p1sc0lKU0tlRZVg7TJBkjnIx4GEHdWX7y2mcMxw_tm1QMTBis9M_cHvG1nm5EYrd2B6lTwIYK9bzZ413pudsZIETahGVSXF4DSDY1TLiFLIHoq7VouiSdsBns91DalUB0Oy7G9zxs/s200/DSC_0294.JPG" /></a></td> <td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19SA00ZSKebsWHlY90SoOKDE6ZWLXo-H1r5Q4ghNDHlaYh3jgIO5WNZQDVvfZzGltZROoWFM2CspMDta_xgD7H6xp9Xi7oSL4Gh1ZbMzZMkvR-Sv4pGK1mBHJ5HIEvu4kvGjEr-viiKA/s1600/DSC_0430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19SA00ZSKebsWHlY90SoOKDE6ZWLXo-H1r5Q4ghNDHlaYh3jgIO5WNZQDVvfZzGltZROoWFM2CspMDta_xgD7H6xp9Xi7oSL4Gh1ZbMzZMkvR-Sv4pGK1mBHJ5HIEvu4kvGjEr-viiKA/s200/DSC_0430.jpg" /></a></td> <td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzihn1Bw4bXrVe41jueGqBQM9f_AUE6-cIlE1Vd4ulMUAbsGznNEuR2gZoM3rlEQCUD7iUQWNY-6Fdm7vb80UL_3I5ZaELJkyjSG2sUAtXZT31aakTl0cBTe4tZDpZ_jqAPZx3qFfg_o/s1600/DSC_0439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzihn1Bw4bXrVe41jueGqBQM9f_AUE6-cIlE1Vd4ulMUAbsGznNEuR2gZoM3rlEQCUD7iUQWNY-6Fdm7vb80UL_3I5ZaELJkyjSG2sUAtXZT31aakTl0cBTe4tZDpZ_jqAPZx3qFfg_o/s200/DSC_0439.jpg" /></a></td> </tr>
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<h3>
Downtown</h3>
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Every year, downtown Montreal has impressive Christmas light displays along and around St. Catherine's, McGill-College, Crescent Street and Place Ville Marie. Wrap up your walk with the charming classic mechanical window display at Ogilvy's, which has been a family destination for generations.<br />
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<h3>
Plateau Mont Royal</h3>
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Plateau Mont Royal has a different Christmas display in the square around metro Mont Royal. From there, enjoy the lights along Mont Royal, St. Laurent and St. Denis.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Square around metro Mont Royal, Dec. 2012</td></tr>
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<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The Village</h3>
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Each year, there is usually a colourful light display along St. Catherine between St. Andre and Papineau.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Catherine's looking toward The Village, Dec. 2012</td></tr>
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While the weather is not too cold, it's a good time to grab your camera and get out and enjoy the Christmas lights while the season lasts. Happy holidays!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_%28meal%29" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Tea (meal)">Afternoon Tea</a> at Birks Café par Europea</td></tr>
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Birks Café par Europea</h3>
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On the mezzanine of Birks' flagship store on Philips Square, it is one of the grandest locations to have afternoon tea in Montreal. I called ahead to ensure the vegetarian in our group would have a comparable plate, but a gluten-free friend joined us at the last minute and the kitchen had no problem accommodating her dietary needs. Both friends' plates were just as creative and delicious as the regular plates. We couldn't get enough of the tender, rich scones with Devonshire cream and homemade jam. The selection of green and black teas from Mariage Frères all sounded so exotic and wonderful, it was hard to choose just one. <br />
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$26.50<br />
1240 Place Phillips<br />
514.397.2468<br />
<a href="http://www.maisonbirks.com/en/cafe/#tea" target="_blank"><b>website</b></a></div>
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<b>Ritz-Carleton</b></h3>
The Ritz-Carleton Montreal is famous for its luxurious style and impeccable service and the afternoon tea is no exception. Usually served in the Palm Court, you can also enjoy tea in the peaceful garden in the summer. If you have your heart set on the garden, check whether there is a wedding or another event in the Oval Ballroom when making your reservation. The three-tiered plate has all the traditional favorites - tender scones, finger sandwiches and a variety of pastry selections - all made with high quality ingredients. Any one of the interesting choices of black and green teas will pair wonderfully with the food. Combine the afternoon tea with a visit to the Museum of Fine Arts on the next block for a thoroughly cultured and civilized afternoon. <br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">$32</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">1228 Sherbrooke St. W</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">514.842.4210 ext.1222</span><br />
<a href="http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Montreal/Dining/Afternoon_Tea/Default.htm" target="_blank"><b>website</b></a><br />
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Fairmont Queen Elizabeth</h3>
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The afternoon tea is served in the spacious Le Montréalais, so they are able to accommodate larger groups, birthday or engagement parties, or a baby shower. Even for our table of eight, everything was already prepared when we arrived, including special dietary requests. All we had to do was choose from a wide selection teas and enjoy the service. If you are sensitive to caffeine in the afternoon, they offer two tisanes - Cascade Peppermint and Rooibos Provence - in addition to a wide selection of green and black teas. All the food was delicious. The incredibly rich desserts seemed to be their speciality, so be sure to arrive with an appetite.<br />
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$26<br />
900 Rene Levesque Blvd. W<br />
514.954.2261<br />
<a href="http://www.fairmont.com/queen-elizabeth-montreal/dining/afternoon-tea-and-kaffee-klatsch/" target="_blank"><b>website</b></a></div>
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<b>Gryphon D'Or</b></h3>
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While Gryphon D'Or is a small, casual, funky tea shop on Monkland, their afternoon tea service is as serious as the luxury hotels. Everything but the butter is made on the premises, so you can taste the love with which the food is made. The last group that went there enjoyed the scones and sweet cream so much they ordered a second helping. One even took home a batch fresh from the oven! Since the tea seems to be served on the lighter side, you will need to specify if you prefer your tea strong.</div>
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$25 (full service) / $14.95 (scones and dessert only)<br />
5968 Monkland<br />
514.485.7377<br />
<a href="http://www.gryphondor.com/afternoon-tea/" target="_blank"><b>website</b></a></div>
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JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-15087530496627915042014-04-30T09:56:00.002-04:002014-05-03T22:01:46.675-04:00Cronut Wars!In 2013, cronuts became a hugely popular sweet treat in many major cities in the USA and Canada, creating long line-ups outside pastry shops and even a black market in New York City. Originally launched on May 10, 2013 by <b><a href="http://dominiqueansel.com/cronut-101/" target="_blank">Dominique Ansel Bakery</a> </b>in NYC, other bakeries and pastry shops quickly caught onto the craze, creating their own versions. Montreal was no exception.<br />
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A few weeks ago, a friend posted an <a href="http://www.meetin.org/MEETinMONTREAL/EventsDetails.cfm?EventsID=122668" target="_blank"><b>event on MEETin</b></a> to find out what all the fuss was about. We sampled the treats from three different shops around Montreal. Unlike our <a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2012/06/in-search-of-best-cupcakes.html" target="_blank"><b>In Search of the Best</b></a> events, we were not able to determine which one we liked best. Each interpretation of the cronut was very different, so which one was best depended on personal preference.<br />
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<b>La Cornetteria </b>(6528 St. Laurent)<br />
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This charming pastry shop in Little Italy put an Italian spin on the cronut with a choice of vanilla custard or ricotta filling. Thinking the ricotta might be a little rich, we chose the vanilla. The pastry turned out to be very light, along with the vanilla custard, with the sugar coating providing most of the sweetness. The host of our group compared it to a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Churro" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">churro</a>, but the pastry was more layered, out of respect to the croissant part of the cronut. To me, it was an Italian pastry - a sweet little treat to be enjoyed with a shot of espresso. Since the vanilla version was so light and tasty, I bought a ricotta one to bring home to my husband, which was just as light and not as sweet as the vanilla.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixF7a6ZIEpUBARiu_cwoQKHOtOz1vmtHYf8Hros0kRpJdJy-GayaUhG1mAcw9pUgQwwM-r8dOoys2X2Gen4ALZahgDGZ_OqNejBJiBYr7g9TAvnHbtYAf9zF6i8btcJg-UQjw_BFISuYw/s1600/La+Cornetteria+Vanilla+Cronut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixF7a6ZIEpUBARiu_cwoQKHOtOz1vmtHYf8Hros0kRpJdJy-GayaUhG1mAcw9pUgQwwM-r8dOoys2X2Gen4ALZahgDGZ_OqNejBJiBYr7g9TAvnHbtYAf9zF6i8btcJg-UQjw_BFISuYw/s1600/La+Cornetteria+Vanilla+Cronut.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Les 3M Pâtisserie </b>(1459 Mont-Royal Est)</div>
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Next was Le 3M Pâtisserie in the Plateau. These were cronuts from the French point of view. While we were tempted to try the caramel, we stuck with the vanilla to make the comparison easier. At first bite, it was clear the croissant part of the cronut was the focus. The pastry was layered like a buttery croissant, but the outside was fried instead of baked with the vanilla frosting providing most of the sweetness. The pastry was a little on the greasy side, but overall a tasty cronut.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1uS448HgXyqcGcZQBxpqRGheoQyJAG2paAudR7yH3ZF_HQq57HIaQkGv56z6Nk1VD7o-gP2Ug0u9jWHrpiBg88ppTgEZKhqHruFwJ5yp6ylSNcGNmrtfhbUCRAtnuvl_wDKt8IJluGNQ/s1600/3M+Vanilla+Cronut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1uS448HgXyqcGcZQBxpqRGheoQyJAG2paAudR7yH3ZF_HQq57HIaQkGv56z6Nk1VD7o-gP2Ug0u9jWHrpiBg88ppTgEZKhqHruFwJ5yp6ylSNcGNmrtfhbUCRAtnuvl_wDKt8IJluGNQ/s1600/3M+Vanilla+Cronut.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Simplement D'Liche </b>(3964A St. Denis)</div>
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Only made on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, these cronuts were not part of the MEETin tasting event. However, since these were the <i>first</i> cronuts I had ever tasted, I had to include them in this comparison. I first tried one of D'Liche's vanilla cronuts during the <a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2013/08/in-search-of-montreals-best-lemonade.html" target="_blank"><b>In Search of Montreal's Best Lemonade</b></a> event last summer. As I expected from a pastry invented in New York City, it was big, rich and decadent, channelling both the croissant and the donut. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxGb1VK_V8UTe9xv6AnPPzar-ZKOznJpGxMzdxnGniZ74BgyhHomr2rJ8TX_xSwkBqGcBIFT_TdMWiCpyCYefE1F33yMteTcqN3rVre31OmgF3wOtgOHc8Q_a1wZfN_vD7dQq2X3plDFM/s1600/IMG_1194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxGb1VK_V8UTe9xv6AnPPzar-ZKOznJpGxMzdxnGniZ74BgyhHomr2rJ8TX_xSwkBqGcBIFT_TdMWiCpyCYefE1F33yMteTcqN3rVre31OmgF3wOtgOHc8Q_a1wZfN_vD7dQq2X3plDFM/s1600/IMG_1194.jpg" height="400" width="327" /></a></div>
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To be sure I was up-to-date on the D'Liche cronut, I bought one shortly after the MEETin event. I was delighted to discover their recipe got better since the summer! Still maintaining its New York inspiration, it was still the largest and most decadent of the three, but the ratio of pastry to filling to frosting was more balanced so every bite had the right amount of crunch (pastry), creaminess (filling) and sweetness (frosting). </div>
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<b>Conclusion</b></div>
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With Italian, French, or New York interpretations, each of the cronuts were too different to decide which one was the best. Which ever one you choose, it is a decadent treat which should be enjoyed with a good coffee or tea and conversation with friends.</div>
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<b><br /></b>JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-50389804673911421002014-03-02T16:58:00.000-05:002014-03-15T11:11:44.788-04:00On Patine! The Best Outdoor Skating In And Around MontrealIn Montreal, there are two ways to deal with winter: hide from it or embrace it. Considering there is snow on the ground for four to five months of the year, I decided soon after my arrival to learn how to enjoy the season. Near the end of my first winter here, I bought an inexpensive pair of recreational skates to enjoy the abundance of outdoor skating.<br />
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Every neighbourhood has at least one skating rink within easy walking distance. Some are specifically set up for playing hockey while others are free-skate rinks or decorative paths. Enjoying the winter scenery while I skate is important to me, so all of my favourite skating places are the decorative paths in the larger parks.<br />
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My reviews below are only a few of the many places to skate in Montreal. For an interactive map of all the rinks and their current condition, check out <a href="http://patinermontreal.ca/"><b>patinermontreal.ca</b></a>.<br />
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Full Service Skating</h2>
If you are new to outdoor skating and not sure you want to invest in a pair of skates, I recommend trying out one of the full-service skating rinks. You can rent skates at all of these locations, usually around $6-$8. If you already own skates, they also have sharpening services.<br />
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Bonsecours Basin (Bassin Bonsecours)</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiQnSdzEDHj_PBXy5MRAHOwO9pwLYUvV7IsVHt3UTaTDwCD_C4Xu0UfOOitradQ8e3MEexn4nlNTU2m3jqcD5YeJT_WJEFakrKhrLvoUYVIuayP4rSSe5izREN2K_5nZSVqP8na8V3N2c/s1600/Skating+Bassin+Bonsecours.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiQnSdzEDHj_PBXy5MRAHOwO9pwLYUvV7IsVHt3UTaTDwCD_C4Xu0UfOOitradQ8e3MEexn4nlNTU2m3jqcD5YeJT_WJEFakrKhrLvoUYVIuayP4rSSe5izREN2K_5nZSVqP8na8V3N2c/s1600/Skating+Bassin+Bonsecours.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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If you are uncertain about outdoor skating, <b><a href="http://www.oldportofmontreal.com/the-quays-skating-rink.html" target="_blank">Bassin Bonsecours</a></b> will convert you. Open from 10am to 9pm (weekdays)/10pm (weekends), you can enjoy skating surrounded by the beauty of the Old Port day or evening. For $6, you can skate on the ultra-smooth refrigerated rink or skate with more freedom on the natural ice in the basin. Each evening is a different musical theme, adding to the festive air. Bring your own lock to store your boots and other personal items in the bench lockers in the chalet.</div>
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Beaver Lake (Lac des castors)</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWvqOakdJUiOSi1II4150DMC7rCh2YWvGoGZ9eNIM9v5EABY1P1z5eLt2RrNTfrb8PxD02dGMxc0WIriYBIinfYlryV4UR4fOUrrgjvXR6gsdyFY3a_AM-FHl3TuDd_esbMClM61Fdys/s1600/Skating+Beaver+Lake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWvqOakdJUiOSi1II4150DMC7rCh2YWvGoGZ9eNIM9v5EABY1P1z5eLt2RrNTfrb8PxD02dGMxc0WIriYBIinfYlryV4UR4fOUrrgjvXR6gsdyFY3a_AM-FHl3TuDd_esbMClM61Fdys/s1600/Skating+Beaver+Lake.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The refrigerated rink at Beaver Lake</td></tr>
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On top of Mont Royal, <a href="http://montreal.about.com/od/seasonalattractions/a/beaver_lake.htm" target="_blank"><b>Beaver Lake</b></a> also offers the choice of a smaller refrigerated rink or the freedom of natural ice on the lake itself. There is no charge to skate, but there is a full service equipment counter inside the chalet if you need to rent. A popular spot on the weekends, it is best to go early or, since it is open until 9pm, try the evenings during the week. Bring your own lock for the bench lockers in the chalet.</div>
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<h3>
Parc Lafontaine</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJ7IKzs-p3zx76yUVP5Dq5AZ6w0xsu17agv0cEhy0_1WIIUrhyLwBn3TqQJ1FvIAz7HyTvMZxlEiHTwmNhh-SJlWIjU-JdNZcim4APAd6yNORiOXnb8Wp_aIF4B4h25km2LXQ6j5oq8I/s1600/Skating+Parc+Lafontaine+Evening.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJ7IKzs-p3zx76yUVP5Dq5AZ6w0xsu17agv0cEhy0_1WIIUrhyLwBn3TqQJ1FvIAz7HyTvMZxlEiHTwmNhh-SJlWIjU-JdNZcim4APAd6yNORiOXnb8Wp_aIF4B4h25km2LXQ6j5oq8I/s1600/Skating+Parc+Lafontaine+Evening.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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A neighbourhood favourite in the Plateau, Parc Lafontaine is one of the most scenic of the outdoor skating paths. The long natural ice path winds around the chalet and toward the south west corner of the park, giving you the feeling of skating along a meandering river. Also a popular spot on weekends, it is best to go early, when the ice is the smoothest and less crowded. Skating is free and you can store your boots in the bench lockers inside the chalet.</div>
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<h3>
Parc Jean Drapeau during Fête des Neiges</h3>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The skating path during Fête des Neiges 2013</td></tr>
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<a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2013/02/fete-des-neiges.html" target="_blank"><b>Fête des Neiges</b></a> is the annual winter festival usually held at Parc Jean Drapeau on the weekends from mid-January through early February. For the past two years, you can skate for free along a scenic path near the St. Lawrence river. Because it is during the festival you can also take in one of the other winter activities or enjoy hot chocolate and Beaver Tails while you're there.<br />
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Favorite Neighbourhood Skating</h2>
You will need to bring your own skates to these fantastic free neighbourhood spots.<br />
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<h3>
Parc Maisonneuve</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOgUTLpC_1F9jxW66ISl_lz69AF8hXXzZzwb6zD0VHY15NbhbU8UBB3uF00hca07NopLWveSFw1c3TvwQzmYHaLFCtQRXc3ZyzdaE4gSqTjDbSdDSsBsHov75byOXw-2OE-Z-h4xFH1E/s1600/Skating+Parc+Maisonneuve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOgUTLpC_1F9jxW66ISl_lz69AF8hXXzZzwb6zD0VHY15NbhbU8UBB3uF00hca07NopLWveSFw1c3TvwQzmYHaLFCtQRXc3ZyzdaE4gSqTjDbSdDSsBsHov75byOXw-2OE-Z-h4xFH1E/s1600/Skating+Parc+Maisonneuve.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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With a beautiful view of the Olympic Stadium on one end, the huge oval at Parc Maisonneuve will inspire your inner speed skater. The ice is well-groomed and not too busy on a Saturday morning, so it is very easy to pick up some speed and get a good workout. On the other side of the oval, the park is a beautiful winter wonderland with trails for cross-country skiing and walking. If you want to lock up your boots and belongings, there are lockers in the heated chalet if you bring your own lock.<br />
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Parc St. Viateur</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWExvQ6NxYtM1pkthk039d7c4QGEwEeB43w6yQ4OsS4Wi6sbMQ_IcdCVPsDz8OzLIVYN9rLqfW2oVkOBXe1gQHQhFv-mChbgujttkg4n1xgzrL4LTnnocr6uLFwsAjJgfypgo53DEeqJc/s1600/Skating+Parc+St.+Viateur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWExvQ6NxYtM1pkthk039d7c4QGEwEeB43w6yQ4OsS4Wi6sbMQ_IcdCVPsDz8OzLIVYN9rLqfW2oVkOBXe1gQHQhFv-mChbgujttkg4n1xgzrL4LTnnocr6uLFwsAjJgfypgo53DEeqJc/s1600/Skating+Parc+St.+Viateur.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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This scenic path has been a favourite in Outremont for generations. The well-groomed, natural ice path circles the park, taking you under a small bridge and by the charming heated chalet, where you can safely keep your boots warm. Since it gets busy on the weekend, it is best to go early and then warm up with hot chocolate at one of the nearby cafés.<br />
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Road Trip!</h2>
If you are inspired to do a winter skating road trip, these two are worth the drive!<br />
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Domain de la foret perdue (Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel)</h3>
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Outside Trois Rivière at Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel, <a href="http://www.domainedelaforetperdue.com/" target="_blank"><b>Domaine de la Forêt Perdue</b></a> has a 10km labyrinth of groomed skating paths winding through forested farmland. In addition to great skating, there is a small zoo of goats, sheep, llamas and more, your can try your hand at ice fishing for trout, and sample some maple syrup taffy cooled on snow. If you're hungry, you can buy a pretty decent hot lunch on site or heat up your own in a microwave in the food chalet. For $12, you enjoy a full day at the Domaine and leave with your choice of a small bottle of honey or maple syrup or a small package of buckwheat flour. </div>
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Rideau Canal (Ottawa) </h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJ1y34WY5L1brDlZcDrpR_bl3rW85Ch-247-4KVnakHnqkQzkCGKiD6g52Xe30bNU_JZaPxsvibl8w_9idDX5speHkAPS9cOmbakMGDXO-ZToAflQ5KJgrvy-XudsyE-ppIk7PdIygI4/s1600/Winterlude+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJ1y34WY5L1brDlZcDrpR_bl3rW85Ch-247-4KVnakHnqkQzkCGKiD6g52Xe30bNU_JZaPxsvibl8w_9idDX5speHkAPS9cOmbakMGDXO-ZToAflQ5KJgrvy-XudsyE-ppIk7PdIygI4/s1600/Winterlude+2013.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winterlude 2013</td></tr>
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Famous for being the world's largest outdoor skating rink, the Rideau Canal is worth the drive to Ottawa. Because it is natural ice, its condition is very weather dependent, so the best time to go is usually during <a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2013/02/skating-and-ice-at-winterlude.html" target="_blank"><b>Winterlude</b></a> in February. For the full experience, start at Dow's Lake and skate toward downtown, which is 7.8km one-way. If you get tired, you can rest and refuel at one of the many rest and snack stations every 1-2km along the way. The canal can get very crowded during Winterlude, especially downtown, so its best to start early.<br />
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<br />JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-59892703173411868032014-01-26T21:06:00.000-05:002014-01-26T21:09:16.703-05:00Léché Desserts: A Bit of Gourmet Donut Heaven<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQOXeooFZW-LVO-UnVj1vUBy4iRS0VjVyIeUtipTOsFmZvOU_0HzrQvH2WgzKsw8KPcJKKn9WywEQHDRT2WaGhfBdLJb7ohCr63SuLIRlDUlRukuxGcx6wOWd1gF_jhc5bO8CHcd6rs4/s1600/Gourmet+Donuts-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Variety of Donuts on display" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQOXeooFZW-LVO-UnVj1vUBy4iRS0VjVyIeUtipTOsFmZvOU_0HzrQvH2WgzKsw8KPcJKKn9WywEQHDRT2WaGhfBdLJb7ohCr63SuLIRlDUlRukuxGcx6wOWd1gF_jhc5bO8CHcd6rs4/s1600/Gourmet+Donuts-2.jpg" height="225" title="Donuts at Leche Desserts" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best to arrive early. These disappear quickly!</td></tr>
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A couple of weeks ago a couple of friends and I checked out <a href="http://lechedesserts.ca/" target="_blank"><b>Léché Desserts</b></a> as a <a href="http://www.meetin.org/MEETinMONTREAL/Index.cfm" target="_blank"><b>MEETIn</b></a> event. This is not your ordinary donut shop. Since it opened, the Montreal food scene has been buzzing about the tasty creations from internationally trained pastry chef Josie Weitzenbauer. We couldn't wait to try them!<br />
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Still recovering from all the sweets at Christmas, I first wanted to try something on the lighter side. I chose the lime coconut donut, which was exactly right. The cake was light and not too sweet while the lime, coconut and sugar coating was nicely balanced.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xcKejM-jpIwH8mN9bxbcoNG4L7HQV7Uxp23qW0ZEw_Y5DTaU328PJ9-BaEpQAH8XDa1FzgJTqMGgN2xIPEAi0FhSndzeNQKHAVT_NHsbDWBg51ueVCmEVuek39sSK1fx9dqDBX737O4/s1600/Gourmet+Donuts-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Lime Coconut Donut" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xcKejM-jpIwH8mN9bxbcoNG4L7HQV7Uxp23qW0ZEw_Y5DTaU328PJ9-BaEpQAH8XDa1FzgJTqMGgN2xIPEAi0FhSndzeNQKHAVT_NHsbDWBg51ueVCmEVuek39sSK1fx9dqDBX737O4/s1600/Gourmet+Donuts-1.jpg" height="300" title="Leche Desserts Lime Coconut Donut" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lime Coconut</td></tr>
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My friends got a box of six, so they could sample a wider variety. Since one friend is a vegetarian, she cannot eat marshmallows, so I got to try her sample of the Mexican hot chocolate donut (not photographed). The chocolate glaze had a good kick of cayenne, which was tempered at bit by the marshmallow.</div>
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Of course, I cannot go to a gourmet donut shop without bringing something home for the hubby. For that night's dessert, I picked up a mulled wine and orange sugar and a pistachio cream. Of the two, I preferred the mulled wine and orange sugar. The filling was warmly spiced, just like mulled wine, which was balanced by the orange and sugar coating. The pistachio cream is for pistachio lovers. The top is covered with a crunchy layer of nuts while the inside is filled with a rich pistachio cream.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQktAzIssy0XRL6EOyQFZivxbmbFPfRRxvk5-guLDwVqa55OKWGCOTOvBYZxVmql0M-YIB8LpZQDKk6Wo10uMJ7Wt7lkUkmnj1rK6rKEyNCYEUoJVVYZLKQ7_z9nY3iNRCRy3o4gEJA0/s1600/Gourmet+Donuts-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Two filled donuts from Leche Desserts" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQktAzIssy0XRL6EOyQFZivxbmbFPfRRxvk5-guLDwVqa55OKWGCOTOvBYZxVmql0M-YIB8LpZQDKk6Wo10uMJ7Wt7lkUkmnj1rK6rKEyNCYEUoJVVYZLKQ7_z9nY3iNRCRy3o4gEJA0/s1600/Gourmet+Donuts-4.jpg" height="300" title="Leche Desserts Donuts: Pistachio Cream and Mulled Wine with Orange Sugar" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pistachio Cream (left) and Mulled Wine with Orange Sugar (right)</td></tr>
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The shop itself is also charming. While most of the customers that day took their treats with them, there are a few tables and a side bar where you can sit and enjoy your food and a coffee. If you are in the St. Henri neighbourhood or near their Old Port location, I highly recommend stopping by.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7rP3WQ0hE-WASPiGfUL9Y370yJAfTZdJDbfa3vRcL9H195K7sTXXY_w5Yc5K_l3i1_spwNb7yVzsRFe8ek81ZO4AZ6H7PNtJhYQZwehlAwaj-RZqNvpI5O-D7bRH3ge0H9lk1i-t6Fs/s1600/Gourmet+Donuts-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Woman mixing in a brightly lit kitchen" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7rP3WQ0hE-WASPiGfUL9Y370yJAfTZdJDbfa3vRcL9H195K7sTXXY_w5Yc5K_l3i1_spwNb7yVzsRFe8ek81ZO4AZ6H7PNtJhYQZwehlAwaj-RZqNvpI5O-D7bRH3ge0H9lk1i-t6Fs/s1600/Gourmet+Donuts-3.jpg" height="300" title="Donut Creation in progress at Leche Desserts" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donut creation in progress!</td></tr>
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<b><a href="http://lechedesserts.ca/" target="_blank">Léché Desserts</a></b></div>
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<span style="color: #463939; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.44444465637207px; font-style: normal;">640 Rue De Courcelle Montreal, QC.</span></span></address>
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<span style="color: #463939; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.44444465637207px; font-style: normal;">Monday to Friday: </span></span><span style="color: #463939; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; font-style: normal;">9am to 6pm</span></address>
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<span style="color: #463939; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.44444465637207px; font-style: normal;">Saturday to Sunday: </span></span><span style="color: #463939; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; font-style: normal;">9am to 3pm</span></address>
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<span style="color: #463939; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.44444465637207px; font-style: normal;">Phone: (514) 903-2301</span></span></address>
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<br />JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-29550599696044720432013-12-28T12:59:00.000-05:002014-01-26T10:57:35.464-05:00Montreal Adventures - A Look Back At 2013<div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 17.98611068725586px;">With the year winding down, it's a good time to reflect on adventures I wanted to have in Montreal in 2013. Most of the year was consumed with finishing and shipping <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman:_Arkham_Origins" target="_blank">Batman: Arkham Origins</a></b>, but I still managed to get out and enjoy myself from time-to-time.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Embrace winter </b>(if it ever comes)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Go skating, tobogganing, maybe even snowshoeing - at least once a week. Find and enjoy more tea or hot chocolate.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoi3b85-nHLXI24qIELoprmhLeUkZ_hxAJJJ86NsImk51AzyzTNtsfvFX5HRYt2BAaeu3aizX9B0arwR_HX38WKH8Hqvd4YuZ2DqlIt6qIV2X2pEj_ho_FWzvQbW_J34GxIsRE0MhZbU/s1600/Fete+des+Neiges+2013-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoi3b85-nHLXI24qIELoprmhLeUkZ_hxAJJJ86NsImk51AzyzTNtsfvFX5HRYt2BAaeu3aizX9B0arwR_HX38WKH8Hqvd4YuZ2DqlIt6qIV2X2pEj_ho_FWzvQbW_J34GxIsRE0MhZbU/s320/Fete+des+Neiges+2013-8.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><i>We had a short, fairly mild winter again, so I only managed to go skating three times in January/February, but two of them were during winter festivals: <a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2013/02/fete-des-neiges.html" target="_blank"><b>Fête des Neiges</b></a> and <b><a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2013/02/skating-and-ice-at-winterlude.html" target="_blank">Winterlude</a></b>. I hope we get the same ice skating path in Parc Jean-Drapeau this year! As for new tea places, we enjoyed tea at <b><a href="http://www.meetin.org/MEETinMONTREAL/NewsDetails.cfm?NewsID=23485" target="_blank">Maison du Macaron </a></b>and at <b><a href="http://www.meetin.org/MEETinMONTREAL/NewsDetails.cfm?NewsID=23601" target="_blank">Birk's Cafe</a></b>. Highly recommend both places!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">Embrace summer</span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">(when it comes)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Find and enjoy new terrasses. Eat outside on my own. Finally attend a show at the <b><a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.hahaha.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Just for Laughs">Just For Laughs festival</a>.</b> Spend time at the Jazz Festival. Have a picnic in a park. Watch the fireworks from Jacques Cartier bridge. Find and enjoy more shop-made ice cream.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrOTVoMp0OgmIvz6xB9vYy2dS_yqLz5RGuPP5f6OrjuIyLTwCaifjl8TuByaURrT_eRcrAzwzl1FXv4KxdVnyfFPCjHNbUJJnptiOrlzf-IJadMyNiXGrnAdyg4vS-xHBtFLZ2nneYnI0/s1600/Just+For+Laughs+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="Street entertainers on stilts" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrOTVoMp0OgmIvz6xB9vYy2dS_yqLz5RGuPP5f6OrjuIyLTwCaifjl8TuByaURrT_eRcrAzwzl1FXv4KxdVnyfFPCjHNbUJJnptiOrlzf-IJadMyNiXGrnAdyg4vS-xHBtFLZ2nneYnI0/s320/Just+For+Laughs+2013.jpg" height="320" title="Just For Laughs Street Festival 2013" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">D and I <u>finally</u> went to two Just For Laughs shows - one gala and one of the smaller shows at Club Soda. I also happened to be walking around Place des Arts at the time and enjoyed a bit of the street festival. A friend got some tickets to the <b><a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.fantasiafest.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Fantasia Festival">Fantasia Film festival</a> </b>and invited me to a <b><a href="http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2013/en/films-schedule/215/the-rooftop" target="_blank">film from Taiwan</a> </b>made in the style of a 1950's American musical (but sung in Mandarin). In September, I spent four crazy days exploring Montreal with tourists from the USA and Europe during the <a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2013/10/meetin-invasion.html" target="_blank"><b>MEETin Invasion</b>.</a> That was about it for this goal. Fortunately, many of the other goals are summer-related :)</span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Walk or ride my bike just for the fun of it. </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6UBKvWoYTDKIJsHWEd8S5leKn2YzEHvbUSvtDI_s4hDF6yA6hQ_A28o0IOlRr-AjNYbOsuTYZLQUqu9jFbFwDirvqB3eSWE4ihGuUhv60B_Aym3bZbfGMxeOGgNsK0zHrEox2j43mAw/s1600/IMG_1322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6UBKvWoYTDKIJsHWEd8S5leKn2YzEHvbUSvtDI_s4hDF6yA6hQ_A28o0IOlRr-AjNYbOsuTYZLQUqu9jFbFwDirvqB3eSWE4ihGuUhv60B_Aym3bZbfGMxeOGgNsK0zHrEox2j43mAw/s320/IMG_1322.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 17.98611068725586px;"><i>This was by far my most successful goal of the year. In the Spring, a friend at work got me to join him on his daily walks at lunch. We usually walk 30 to 45 minutes through either the Village or Old Montreal. Those walks have really helped maintain my sanity. In August, a friend and I started doing major cycling, with our longest ride being about 60km, taking us to and around Iles-de-Boucherville. </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><b>More solo street photography</b> (outside of my monthly </span><a href="http://www.meetin.org/city/MEETinMONTREAL/index.cfm" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #7d171d; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><b>MEETin</b></a><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"> photo walks)</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHnlPy2Sg5krcR23Q7xcow54TjPvvzlrQ25ywwy2AAs2cxaSCkXPtE8P4J1VdqHHqPqZxU0waSOxM4s1nhWmtmDtnvbnU1W2xnA-Y6_qdN1e1yFa57ItCE9u1NkhsxyN-twnwLLJJTyxA/s1600/Old+Montreal+Courthouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="Old Montreal Courthouse" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHnlPy2Sg5krcR23Q7xcow54TjPvvzlrQ25ywwy2AAs2cxaSCkXPtE8P4J1VdqHHqPqZxU0waSOxM4s1nhWmtmDtnvbnU1W2xnA-Y6_qdN1e1yFa57ItCE9u1NkhsxyN-twnwLLJJTyxA/s320/Old+Montreal+Courthouse.jpg" height="240" title="Wiki Loves Monuments 2013 entry" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><i>I didn't do any solo photo walks outside of a brief wander around Queen's University campus after the ice storm this week. However, my lunchtime walking buddy found the <b><a href="http://wikimedia.ca/wlmca/" target="_blank">Wiki Loves Monuments</a></b> photo contest, so we spent September seeking out and photographing the monuments around work. It was a lot of fun and we discovered some places we didn't know were monuments.</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Go to Jean Talon or Atwater market every week.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLckONLhklfb6QkHA6xXB0hJYglQgviUpjvO0gwWoSLyyLvhQcMnQiXL6rpoJPYcfNZwCwddLI4WFkFYhjrRohq_cg2pPHui7VQTXU_Ci06Zq04WgO6jHesIZjvEJJBq_wl-xL_7MNKXA/s1600/IMG_1605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLckONLhklfb6QkHA6xXB0hJYglQgviUpjvO0gwWoSLyyLvhQcMnQiXL6rpoJPYcfNZwCwddLI4WFkFYhjrRohq_cg2pPHui7VQTXU_Ci06Zq04WgO6jHesIZjvEJJBq_wl-xL_7MNKXA/s320/IMG_1605.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 17.98611068725586px;"><i>It wasn't every week, but I did go to the market regularly. As a result, I cooked and brought my lunch to work more regularly.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Go to the Botanical Gardens (my favorite) or some other park once a month.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmoxs9aRNmeAm95KVnXa7Cc4h2oJXzwKZkmt_TBkBD-dzI8dNK-PPeWTyCJh9aPwslcSSdPNEnea3eVUMPUxK0nECXPXlS3NgU78TDauza4mUbVb4GQL8_uWUd-RWhxdSYCodl8Uwz1JI/s1600/IMG_1253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmoxs9aRNmeAm95KVnXa7Cc4h2oJXzwKZkmt_TBkBD-dzI8dNK-PPeWTyCJh9aPwslcSSdPNEnea3eVUMPUxK0nECXPXlS3NgU78TDauza4mUbVb4GQL8_uWUd-RWhxdSYCodl8Uwz1JI/s320/IMG_1253.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><i>With Mosaïcultures at the Botanical Gardens this year, the outdoor gardens did not have free admission for Access Montreal card holders from July through September. However, I did get to see the </i></span><i style="color: #333333; line-height: 17.98611068725586px;">Mosaïcultures exhibit twice this year and it was spectacular! The bike rides usually went to a park, so there were still plenty of nature moments.</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Visit museums.</b> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6XzH2-Rf3D8tRDJHD5AEEM_Yp3zFYscfaa4TJyiU5jHtjLl-mOKLs0jO-lQak2smKzalEU96Jqui9BYaLg4g4yhNdZAvNQCl_UOzjjm0NUCb37sObyi2lGKbg87JU-OGmb3t27ewZIhM/s1600/IMG_1451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="Glass art by Chihuly" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6XzH2-Rf3D8tRDJHD5AEEM_Yp3zFYscfaa4TJyiU5jHtjLl-mOKLs0jO-lQak2smKzalEU96Jqui9BYaLg4g4yhNdZAvNQCl_UOzjjm0NUCb37sObyi2lGKbg87JU-OGmb3t27ewZIhM/s320/IMG_1451.jpg" height="320" title="Chihuly exhibit Montreal 2013" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 17.98611068725586px;"><i>I took advantage of a web deal and became a member of the <b><a href="http://www.mbam.qc.ca/en/" target="_blank">Musée des Beaux-Arts</a> </b>this year. So far, I have seen three of the temporary exhibits, my favourite of which was the glass art by Chihuly. I also thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the new <b><a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2013/04/exploring-new-planetarium.html" target="_blank">planetarium</a> </b>and the <b><a href="http://www.cca.qc.ca/en" target="_blank">Canadian Centre for Architecture</a></b>. Both are worth visiting.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Explore more restaurants, especially in my own neighbourhood and around work.</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><i>Sadly, I didn't do much in this area. Most of the new restaurant experiences came from travelling, rather than around Montreal. However, I did finally get to try <a href="http://www.meetin.org/city/MEETinMONTREAL/NewsDetails.cfm?NewsID=23596" target="_blank"><b>Les Filles du Roy</b></a> during MTL à Table. The food is delicious and the historic setting is worth experiencing.</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Wear fashionable clothes.</b> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 17.98611068725586px;"><i>My wardrobe continues to evolve. I have been investing in some items from <b><a href="http://katrinleblondblog.com/" target="_blank">Katrin Leblond</a>, </b>a local designer who has a boutique in my neighbourhood. I love shopping there and always leave feeling fabulous!</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Do more travelling.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3iV8vgWzVPoiC4FTiHHtShj_cKWx02vCRM9gYXMPGVCOcxk1KvfdvE0NsAfsuY6_k12Wb7Rq8wphMJ8SBvEr6DDTj8iYTrG8Tq_F_kLbrSGvTePaUHRCTks9YmMp-9k9UkyDX4IyyOI/s1600/IMG_2140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="Beautiful, colorful wrought iron balconies in the French Quarter of NOLA" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3iV8vgWzVPoiC4FTiHHtShj_cKWx02vCRM9gYXMPGVCOcxk1KvfdvE0NsAfsuY6_k12Wb7Rq8wphMJ8SBvEr6DDTj8iYTrG8Tq_F_kLbrSGvTePaUHRCTks9YmMp-9k9UkyDX4IyyOI/s320/IMG_2140.jpg" height="240" title="New Orleans balconies" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><i>Almost all of my travel was <a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2013/06/making-best-of-business-travel.html" target="_blank"><b>work related</b></a>, none of which I would have predicted at the beginning of the year. I went to Frankfurt in May, Los Angeles (with a day trip to San Diego) in June, and New Orleans for the annual PMI Leadership Institute Meeting in October. The only <b><a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2013_07_01_archive.html" target="_blank">vacation travel</a> </b>was spending a week at the same cottage where we spent our honeymoon and a Thanksgiving weekend roadtrip to Bois-Franc and <b><a href="http://arbraska.com/fr/" target="_blank">Arbraska</a></b> tree-top adventures in Rigaud.</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Update this blog once a month.</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><i>This will be the 15th post on this blog this year. It wasn't exactly a monthly schedule, but I'm still happy with the amount of content I posted. I also wanted to make this blog more interesting. I didn't do anything special for that, so I don't think I made much progress on that goal. <b><a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2013/10/blissdom.html" target="_blank">My weekend at Blissdom</a></b> got me thinking about what I could potentially do with this blog. I'll do some more thinking this week and include any new goals with my 2014 goals.</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">As for my 2014 goals... I will be publishing them in the first days of January. If you have any suggestions on adventures in Montreal I should try, please let me know in the comments! I would also love to hear about any of your most memorable adventures this past year.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">I hope everyone had a great 2013 and hope you enjoy the rest of the holiday season!</span></div>
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JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-84172078634867293442013-11-16T18:13:00.000-05:002013-11-16T18:13:01.948-05:00Daily Blogging: The NaBloPoMo Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have known about <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="National Novel Writing Month"><b>National Novel Writing Month</b></a> (NaNoWriMo) since I lived in California and I still plan to participate one November. On November 1, I stumbled upon <b><a href="http://www.blogher.com/novembers-nablopomo-here?from=bhspinner" target="_blank">National Blog Posting Month</a> </b>(NaBloPoMo) on <b><a href="http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/11/01/nablopomo-2013-kickoff/" target="_blank">WordPress.com</a></b>. I had a blog post ready to go on my <a href="http://blog.socketsandlightbulbs.com/" target="_blank"><b>business blog</b></a>, so I hit "publish" and spent the next 24 hours debating whether I had it in me to publish a blog every... single... day for a month. It wasn't an easy debate. For all of 2013, I have been struggling to write a post once a month. How would I find the time for <i>daily</i> posting?<br />
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The prospect of participating with a community of active bloggers is what finally convinced me to make the commitment. Two weeks in and I'm glad I did! I have been writing content every day since I haven't been able to write ahead enough to schedule posts days in advance. It certainly hasn't been easy, but I'm happy with what I have written so far. I am getting more inspired and, most importantly, I am getting more engaged with my blog and blogging in general. I also seem to be attracting a wider audience, but that will be clearer after the month is over.<br />
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Hopefully, after a month of daily blogging, I'll settle back into blogging weekly in December and in 2014.<br />
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JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-78704737565455829362013-10-20T15:01:00.000-04:002013-10-20T15:48:57.093-04:00Different Is Bliss! Blissdom Canada 2013<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"I'll be out of the office Thursday and Friday this week. I'm going to a blogging conference that will be mostly women. So, if I come back wearing something pink... you'll know what happened."</i></blockquote>
That's pretty much what I told my team at work at few days before taking the train to Mississauga for Blissdom Canada 2013. Some context here: I work in video game development, so "normal" to me is a ratio of about 15 women for every 100 men (and that includes HR and Finance!). When I bought my ticket, I knew that this conference would be something completely different and I'm not talking about learning/networking/partying with around 300 women (and a few men) for three days. Something completely different is exactly what I was looking for!<br />
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My bliss started weeks before the event. I won my hotel room in a draw for participating in a pre-conference Twitter party. Amazing! Thanks so much to the <b><a href="http://blissdomcanada.com/the-blissdom-canada-team/" target="_blank">Blissdom Canada Team</a> </b>and <a href="https://www.deltahotels.com/Hotels/Delta-Meadowvale-Hotel-Conference-Centre" target="_blank"><b>Delta Meadowvale</b></a>! Check out the great room:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbaxt7IAyQOKuBwvgCGW8LOIwMSPVSWpr4f26nZg9NNbQpCk27PlIxQQPNfYCCNbfK5faG_xvjzXt8qh4cXvI0grnRHwIkwvAHRXQ9pPDeCZZ8xRSuXk8WOrKKYphts9KEYqZrcf4FxE/s1600/DeltaMeadowvale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbaxt7IAyQOKuBwvgCGW8LOIwMSPVSWpr4f26nZg9NNbQpCk27PlIxQQPNfYCCNbfK5faG_xvjzXt8qh4cXvI0grnRHwIkwvAHRXQ9pPDeCZZ8xRSuXk8WOrKKYphts9KEYqZrcf4FxE/s320/DeltaMeadowvale.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The comfy bed at the Delta Meadowvale</td></tr>
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This was followed by a lovely welcome box I received in the mail. I've attended a lot of professional conferences and this was definitely a first.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFtaqEpqgrgkb9E6B4DmyHJuIEX63_03ZjUnAwe2L99dxw8oJcwI0uxF5o5YhCMK3PrtVsHoDIyU1kuY5VXm7zpQdBKj7BO3TPtDh346GmINn4QreFSMKy19MHSi3OgF1M7FpXGna-gw/s1600/IMG_1607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFtaqEpqgrgkb9E6B4DmyHJuIEX63_03ZjUnAwe2L99dxw8oJcwI0uxF5o5YhCMK3PrtVsHoDIyU1kuY5VXm7zpQdBKj7BO3TPtDh346GmINn4QreFSMKy19MHSi3OgF1M7FpXGna-gw/s320/IMG_1607.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sponsor samples from Sunlight and Philosophy</td></tr>
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On the subject of sponsors... All conferences have sponsors, but this is the first conference I've been at where the sponsors sincerely try to woo us. I came back from the last conference with a collection of stress toys (what does that say about project managers?):<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr1ruAo7oO5Y9Qr2hW9HuJwekuHaimMjjPS-HksnkoniKEY4VZa2myGGqyvmmKQVLSnd4yzNCcN45qN5AhQA6CUwwEEPAOqWQ2-siUahyphenhyphenMsmqy9C446dD1NhQKepiWeJq73K-raHu-0lo/s1600/PMI+Stress+Toys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr1ruAo7oO5Y9Qr2hW9HuJwekuHaimMjjPS-HksnkoniKEY4VZa2myGGqyvmmKQVLSnd4yzNCcN45qN5AhQA6CUwwEEPAOqWQ2-siUahyphenhyphenMsmqy9C446dD1NhQKepiWeJq73K-raHu-0lo/s320/PMI+Stress+Toys.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stress toys collected at the PMI Global Congress 2012</td></tr>
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Arriving at Blissdom, my ride from the GO Train station was courtesy of the wonderful concierge service from Chevrolet Canada and I was greeted at the hotel with this <a href="http://hugsback.tempurpedic.ca/" target="_blank"><b>adorable bear</b></a>, who also supports pancreatic cancer research:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDYqPxlfK_cKvOQWmpogt72i5EsG1Vp9at51ibD_dqdCHQSLwQPNJMOAmeLkFhlVKq8ElPpkXKOibEMQ3ziXQfmycFgY6AAJrcvPo3GtTxCfKwx9UmUaZ57YG5yYgyS0OxJyKrkEVamIU/s1600/IMG_1613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDYqPxlfK_cKvOQWmpogt72i5EsG1Vp9at51ibD_dqdCHQSLwQPNJMOAmeLkFhlVKq8ElPpkXKOibEMQ3ziXQfmycFgY6AAJrcvPo3GtTxCfKwx9UmUaZ57YG5yYgyS0OxJyKrkEVamIU/s320/IMG_1613.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tempur-Pedic Bear from <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.sleepcountry.ca/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Sleep Country Canada"><b>Sleep Country Canada</b></a></td></tr>
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Even our conference welcome bags were stuffed with Sponsor goodies:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAfHLYIZTCtJvfEXgHeCdWnhLDpDRn-P-p3qpw3n8r06Z0apba0H5B2ysCrIlunjmW7J9gEXq3PwX6WSw50gMaQ4OuKKJVIFzpbu7qMzdw1Hkg8jXgtRNoZlh0rZYZlgD1guxL0jt1OLA/s1600/IMG_1626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAfHLYIZTCtJvfEXgHeCdWnhLDpDRn-P-p3qpw3n8r06Z0apba0H5B2ysCrIlunjmW7J9gEXq3PwX6WSw50gMaQ4OuKKJVIFzpbu7qMzdw1Hkg8jXgtRNoZlh0rZYZlgD1guxL0jt1OLA/s320/IMG_1626.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Conference welcome back Sponsor swag and the Sleep Country Tempur-Pedic travel pillow </td></tr>
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I quickly realized that these Sponsors <i>got it.</i> Here's a conference with 300+ socially connected writers. This was the perfect opportunity to directly connect with consumers and influencers and, for some, it was a two-way connection. If you are looking for feedback on your brand, this would probably be one of the best groups from which to receive it. The <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.timhortons.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Tim Hortons"><b>Tim Horton's</b></a> #timspirations suite became a favorite hangout:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0fI5n5fksd9fXMhoKooXS7ghpwtrPVlzWWDTJ9e6mE65k2o8c7mit7-HBAAgO3SyP0voKvRyInNtdQ8TTQyaxmXKLepx7ckkJ2QkLdFhEBHgVEMwIGR3GmVZMnrd8Z4-_4MgPFZ2fASQ/s1600/IMG_1622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0fI5n5fksd9fXMhoKooXS7ghpwtrPVlzWWDTJ9e6mE65k2o8c7mit7-HBAAgO3SyP0voKvRyInNtdQ8TTQyaxmXKLepx7ckkJ2QkLdFhEBHgVEMwIGR3GmVZMnrd8Z4-_4MgPFZ2fASQ/s320/IMG_1622.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One way to connect with your audience...</td></tr>
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But I didn't go to Blissdom for the Sponsors. My goal was to learn more about blogging and to learn from the community. Within 30 minutes of arrival, I knew I was in the right place! I think "bloggers" does not adequately describe the Blissdom participants. This was the most diverse group of <i>entrepreneurs</i> I have ever met. I met a fascinating <a href="http://www.artanddesignstudio.ca/" target="_blank"><b>photographer</b></a>, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/NostalgiaGirlDesigns" target="_blank"><b>jewelry maker</b></a> and <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/kateyekrafts" target="_blank"><b>kraftswoman</b></a> in the conference's Handmade Marketplace. At the opening cocktail, I met an inspiring woman with an <a href="http://cubitsorganics.com/" target="_blank"><b>organic seed business</b></a> and a food blogger <a href="http://insearchofyummyness.com/" target="_blank"><b>in search of yummy-ness</b></a>, just to name a few. Throughout the weekend, I also connected with a <a href="http://socialmediafairygodmother.com/" target="_blank"><b>Social Media Fairy Godmother</b></a>, an <a href="http://www.theanimatedwoman.com/" target="_blank"><b>Animated Woman</b></a> and a <a href="http://www.canadianmomeh.com/" target="_blank"><b>Canadian Mom</b></a>, who are all in my own backyard of Montreal. This really is only a few of the fabulous people I met. I could go on and on.<br />
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As for the sessions, some of my favorites were:<br />
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<ul>
<li>The Art of Creativity, by <b><a href="http://createmorebetterdifferent.com/" target="_blank">Jason Theodor</a></b></li>
<li>Taking That First Step microsession with <b><a href="http://theglobalbookshelf.com/" target="_blank">Gillian Duffy</a></b></li>
<li>The Power Hour, which included:</li>
<ul>
<li><b><a href="http://www.schmutzie.com/weblog/2013/10/7/how-is-your-blog-doing-my-talk-at-blissdom-canada.html" target="_blank">How Is Your Blog Doing?</a> </b>by Elan Morgan</li>
<li><a href="http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/blogs/sharon-devellis-inside-scoop/20131017/how-to-succeed-by-being-a-quitter" target="_blank"><b>How To Succeed By Being A Quitter</b></a> by Sharon DeVellis</li>
<li>and inspiring talks by <b><a href="http://canadiandad.com/the-power-hour-that-changed-my-life-blissdomca/" target="_blank">Chris Read</a>, <a href="http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/blogs/joe-boughner-the-naked-dad/20131007/exposing-myself-on-the-internet-redux" target="_blank">Joe Boughner</a></b><a href="http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/blogs/joe-boughner-the-naked-dad/20131007/exposing-myself-on-the-internet-redux" target="_blank"> </a>and <b><a href="http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/erica-ehm" target="_blank">Erica Ehm</a></b></li>
</ul>
<li>An emotional panel on Social Media Etiquette, beautifully <b><a href="http://commoncentsmom.com/2013/10/how-does-one-write-about-life-changing-moments/" target="_blank">summarized by Common Cents Mom</a></b></li>
</ul>
The highlight presentation was Drew Dudley's closing keynote. I wrote a summary of his inspiring talk on my <a href="http://blog.socketsandlightbulbs.com/2013/10/14/be-awesome-everyday/" target="_blank"><b>business blog</b></a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicO3VdFegyut7ddmdDOFsejrLHrK6VFCLaYASjHNVruuShIP-faxsC_-S7J3fzR4jfrpFyhmJoh58gVRuFgXb34HYxhobrjkGEoPt9it9Jk_YEkuIS3_Pq0AhZwYSFmXJEahjEhKusHes/s1600/DrewDudley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicO3VdFegyut7ddmdDOFsejrLHrK6VFCLaYASjHNVruuShIP-faxsC_-S7J3fzR4jfrpFyhmJoh58gVRuFgXb34HYxhobrjkGEoPt9it9Jk_YEkuIS3_Pq0AhZwYSFmXJEahjEhKusHes/s320/DrewDudley.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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So, did I come home wearing something pink? You betcha! My nails were polished bright, sparkly pink at the pyjama party the last night of the conference.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT6tpispVaY5UVAiLsYDNUr5X3Q2oL54vGYLRI8CG0W79j99DmbTCUflaDTSgLrLZbGA3K35mw0RgmRP52a_6u4VI3lR_swUm1AsszNs_yqoIG3kFoHVpECAIyaX_td9rWtu9W2NhyvOs/s1600/Blissdom+Nail+Polish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT6tpispVaY5UVAiLsYDNUr5X3Q2oL54vGYLRI8CG0W79j99DmbTCUflaDTSgLrLZbGA3K35mw0RgmRP52a_6u4VI3lR_swUm1AsszNs_yqoIG3kFoHVpECAIyaX_td9rWtu9W2NhyvOs/s320/Blissdom+Nail+Polish.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of <a href="http://annaeppphotography.com/" target="_blank"><b>Anna Epp Photography</b></a></td></tr>
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To read more about Blissdom Canada 2013, check out the blogs linked up on their <b><a href="http://blissdomcanada.com/blissdom-canada-2013-thats-a-wrap/" target="_blank">wrap-up post</a></b>.</div>
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JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-37458880262246467832013-10-03T14:06:00.004-04:002013-10-03T14:11:12.371-04:00MEETin Invasion!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_IQCXISHh9HMfU5B6C9IAFtnXdc3YQnCbOUp_EPVROb3DRuhA7gNoYvr22aj_r8EFl9UHEqf9ddoWMa7HuiVXvOWFz1SI2YgeT2yH0Up8cv482dTLoEns9Eq4Xlysdy7DAOhIdapg6-0/s1600/IMG_1605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_IQCXISHh9HMfU5B6C9IAFtnXdc3YQnCbOUp_EPVROb3DRuhA7gNoYvr22aj_r8EFl9UHEqf9ddoWMa7HuiVXvOWFz1SI2YgeT2yH0Up8cv482dTLoEns9Eq4Xlysdy7DAOhIdapg6-0/s320/IMG_1605.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monty, our MEETin Montreal mascot, at Jean Talon Market</td></tr>
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Each year, one of the <b><a href="http://meetin.org/" target="_blank">MEETin</a> </b>cities hosts an annual global celebration with the help of a bunch of enthusiastic volunteers. In 2010, D and I had a fabulous time at the <a href="http://www.meetin.org/MEETinAMSTERDAM/Index.cfm" target="_blank"><b>MEETin Amsterdam</b></a> celebration where we explored the city with locals and made new friends from Amsterdam, Dusseldorf, London and all over the USA. We must have also done a great job talking about how fun Montreal is because this year the MEETin Celebration regulars decided to gather in <a href="http://www.meetin.org/city/MEETinMONTREAL/index.cfm" target="_blank"><b>Montreal</b></a>. To help us out with the organizing, the Celebration became an Invasion, where event planners from the other MEETin cities would plan and host events in Montreal.<br />
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Sept 18 to 22, we welcomed about 40 people from Amsterdam, LA, Portland, San Francisco, San Antonio, Austin, Denver, New York, Boston, Providence, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, DC, Virginia Beach and Sacramento. Over 4 crazy days and nights, D and I joined them at events ranging from poutine lunch, to museum visits, to dancing at an 80s night club. D even finally became a MEETin member and hosted an event of his own at <a href="http://dieuduciel.com/" target="_blank"><b>Dieu du Ciel</b></a>, his favourite microbrewery.<br />
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One of the best parts about having visitors in town is that we took the opportunity sample <b><a href="http://www.restolabanquise.com/" target="_blank">the poutine</a> </b>we had been meaning to try for years, reacquaint ourselves with favourites in our neighbourhood, like <a href="http://stviateurbagel.com/" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">St. Viateur Bagel Café</a>, <a href="http://www.schwartzsdeli.com/" target="_blank"><b>Schwartz's</b></a>, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Restaurant-Chez-Chose/152708168086655" target="_blank"><b>Chez Chose</b></a>, or discover something new like <b><a href="http://www.sainthenri.ca/" target="_blank">the cafe</a> </b>near where I work that asked D what country of origin he preferred for his coffee.<br />
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Below are just a few pictures from the weekend. A big thanks to all the fabulous Meeps who came to Montreal and made it such a fun four days! We'll keep in touch and will see you again at another Celebration.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poutine lunch on the terrasse at La Banquise</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caught the Chihuly exhibit at the MBAM</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2eR_xntxjobSb7A6lbNYpCpGN_B_7kHXnHS7G-hgUcvOTGIPRNT03T1bz2iXM0czKoZNEISAVhAxHjQVk70U63DwDhyphenhyphenHvjdLY63eZdZKIiFutMBBCWhrYx4fJAYISzM1MYWmJtnJ56-c/s1600/IMG_1586.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2eR_xntxjobSb7A6lbNYpCpGN_B_7kHXnHS7G-hgUcvOTGIPRNT03T1bz2iXM0czKoZNEISAVhAxHjQVk70U63DwDhyphenhyphenHvjdLY63eZdZKIiFutMBBCWhrYx4fJAYISzM1MYWmJtnJ56-c/s320/IMG_1586.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roses from Snooky The Rose Man at House of Jazz</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My very first beer... ever! 15th Anniversary Porter at Dieu du Ciel</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mothershuckers at Jean Talon Market</td></tr>
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JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-15749516237229018312013-08-11T17:44:00.000-04:002013-08-11T17:46:55.155-04:00In Search Of Montreal's Best Lemonade<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">When you are thirsty on a hot summer day, ice cold, slightly sweetened lemonade is a great way to refresh yourself. Inspired by a Nightlife.ca article on the <a href="http://www.nightlife.ca/sorties/top-5-des-meilleures-limonades-de-montreal" target="_blank"><b>Top 5 Best Lemonades in Montreal</b></a>, I set up a <b><a href="http://www.meetin.org/MEETinMONTREAL/" target="_blank">MEETin</a> </b>event "In Search of the Best Lemonade" to sample three of the five lemonades featured in the article and decide for ourselves. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">First on our list was the classic lemonade at <a href="http://petitecuillere.com/" target="_blank"><b>La Petite Cuillère</b></a> on St Denis, across from Square St. Louis. A quiet, eclectic cafe, they offered three different kinds of lemonade, along with tempting cakes and snacks. Deciding that there was only one fair way to compare, we all ordered the classic lemonade and grabbed a spot on the terrasse. Served in frosty mason jars, our drinks were tart, lemony and topped with frothy slush. While everyone appreciated the distinct lemon flavor, most of the group started looking around for sugar after their first sips. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Next was <a href="http://www.dliche.ca/" target="_blank"><b>D'Liche</b></a>, winner of last year's "<a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2012/06/in-search-of-best-cupcakes.html" target="_blank"><b>In Search of the Best Cupcakes</b></a>" event. This also turned out to be a snack stop for most of us, since we had to try <b><a href="http://eatingoutinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2013/08/simplement-d-liche-cupcakes.html" target="_blank">their version of the cronut</a> </b>and some had to verify that D'Liche still had the best cupcakes. We almost forgot that we were there to try the lemonade! The lemonade was slightly less lemony than the first one, but everyone appreciated that it was just the right sweetness. It was a nice balance to the rich cronut and paired nicely with a lime mini cupcake.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stuffed with our delicious treats and two glasses of lemonade, we were happy to walk over to St. Laurent for the final place on our list. <a href="http://www.nightlife.ca/directory/laika" target="_blank"><b>Laïka</b></a> is part cafe, part bar, part hangout. When we sat down, we were surprised that lemonade was <u>not</u> on their menu. We showed the server a printout of the Nightlife.ca article. She verified that it was all true... and recommended we try the house iced tea as well. Half the group ordered lemonade and half ordered iced tea. While the lemonade was fresh, it was the least lemony of the three. Since we could barely taste the lemon, sweetness was not an issue. The iced tea was the better pick. Made with properly steeped tea, we could taste a hint of lemon and mint and it was sweetened just enough. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the end, we decided <b>D'Liche</b> had the best classic lemonade of the three places we tried. If you like your lemonade really tart or want to customize the sweetness, I would also recommend <b>La Petite Cuillère</b>. Order the iced tea at <b>Laïka</b>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />There may be another contender in the near future. While walking along Duluth, one member of our group stopped in at <b><a href="http://bluming.ca/" target="_blank">Blüming Gateaux</a> </b>and discovered that they also have interesting house-made lemonades. We may have to repeat the event before the summer is over.</span><br />
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JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-59500553062582466492013-07-21T13:14:00.000-04:002013-07-21T13:22:12.149-04:00Homage to a Great Pair of Hiking Boots<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDcZn5gFsRXLf96PsugdEKrZPZx0h7i6KUXSPtV6XwFQNQ_NdY3yRxpRpO3d_hHtkp6aK2KC8ZpRzw2q210CkREiYExA_XEBr3UxswtriFHrHmXILTMEPuhHOUT9_xtXXciXsD7vZR5_g/s1600/Destroyed+hiking+boots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Destroyed hiking boots" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDcZn5gFsRXLf96PsugdEKrZPZx0h7i6KUXSPtV6XwFQNQ_NdY3yRxpRpO3d_hHtkp6aK2KC8ZpRzw2q210CkREiYExA_XEBr3UxswtriFHrHmXILTMEPuhHOUT9_xtXXciXsD7vZR5_g/s320/Destroyed+hiking+boots.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">My faithful hiking boots - destroyed!</td></tr>
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My faithful hiking boots of nearly 13 years were destroyed by the Cup and Saucer Trail on <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=45.7666666667,-82.2&spn=0.1,0.1&q=45.7666666667,-82.2%20(Manitoulin%20Island)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Manitoulin Island">Manitoulin Island</a>. For our 10th anniversary, D and I spent a week at the same cottage where we spent our honeymoon. We decided to hike the Adventure Trail along the Cup and Saucer Trail, since it was so much fun 10 years ago. Well, 10 years is a long time and we were not 100% sure where the Adventure Trail started, so when we saw the sign for the alternate loop under the cliffs, we thought that might be it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXGDARrwLxDxBakzi9H73kMqjq0J6GQDBrP_L05RDxr5v__J8d996Pn_LDcsPNnjgUcpAw37LK5fmVvIb6CCxXfCA5VpwH2bU_L9USZ74Foi8uJKqxxUWKQ5jX62irL2anQ4JhfQYS0MU/s1600/Alternate+hiking+trail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Alternate Loop Trail Under Cliffs sign" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXGDARrwLxDxBakzi9H73kMqjq0J6GQDBrP_L05RDxr5v__J8d996Pn_LDcsPNnjgUcpAw37LK5fmVvIb6CCxXfCA5VpwH2bU_L9USZ74Foi8uJKqxxUWKQ5jX62irL2anQ4JhfQYS0MU/s320/Alternate+hiking+trail.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alternate "trail" not on the maps... That sounded like a great idea!</td></tr>
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It wasn't the Adventure Trail, but it certainly was an adventure. It was a very rough, loose rock path along the limestone cliffs. I was happy to have my boots since the ground was unstable and covered with poison oak. We eventually got back to the main trail and called it a day, returning two days later to finally do the Adventure Trail. Unfortunately, time had eroded big sections of that trail, so it wasn't as much fun. Still, the views along the Cup and Saucer trail are as rewarding as ever.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcEFdzf5TR59F9r3HMthFVUohnhE3j5ti3rEf7_LUiXZ38DIMUhS_NYyzVXCk1kYxJTcGJl1wQo99IDmqptv5DCl3kZouURkaWHDiS0BIlewg2mVCHmRfrEEZPv_3fHk8A8o0FoPbMGE/s1600/IMG_1077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="View of limestone cliffs and trees" border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcEFdzf5TR59F9r3HMthFVUohnhE3j5ti3rEf7_LUiXZ38DIMUhS_NYyzVXCk1kYxJTcGJl1wQo99IDmqptv5DCl3kZouURkaWHDiS0BIlewg2mVCHmRfrEEZPv_3fHk8A8o0FoPbMGE/s320/IMG_1077.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the way back after the Adventure Trail - June 2013</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix-TcAQnHyBLH92DrqsIg3ZOEAVulCcv-lfpP7TvRElj2TwurI0K-xII13iSaNwq_dEOYowp5-W7_2chnXQkMdPSe6dPQMV63DhWUSRRON8HKDGdtJWPamjXrpECzGM62i1c59_ORcjq8/s1600/Adventure+Trail+Honeymoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Woman climbing ladder in rock crevice" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix-TcAQnHyBLH92DrqsIg3ZOEAVulCcv-lfpP7TvRElj2TwurI0K-xII13iSaNwq_dEOYowp5-W7_2chnXQkMdPSe6dPQMV63DhWUSRRON8HKDGdtJWPamjXrpECzGM62i1c59_ORcjq8/s320/Adventure+Trail+Honeymoon.jpg" title="" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Adventure Trail - Manitoulin Island - July 2003<br />
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It was only after the second hike that I saw how destroyed my boots were. The soles of both were completely ripped. All that was left to do was take a couple of photos, deposit them in the garbage and reflect on their 13 years of amazing service.<br />
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When I moved to California in 1999, I started to do a lot of hiking. It was during the dot com boom, so friends from Canada were in the area regularly. We would find an interesting park and go explore. By the summer of 2000, it was clear I needed to invest in some proper hiking boots, so bought them while attending a friend's wedding in <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=53.9169444444,-122.749444444&spn=0.1,0.1&q=53.9169444444,-122.749444444%20(Prince%20George%2C%20British%20Columbia)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Prince George, British Columbia">Prince George, BC</a>. Back then, digital cameras were just coming out, but I remained faithful to my Pentax ESPIO 928 35mm. As a result, I don't have many digitized photos from 1999 to 2002 when I started getting CDs made with my film development.<br />
<br />
The most impressive hikes I have done were in Yosemite National Park, attempting Half Dome twice and completing the Glacier Point/Panoramic Trails twice. Yosemite is still my favourite place on earth so it was a natural place to take my first photo vacation with my Nikon D60 DSLR in 2008.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9Xl-mxiaYKrU4Hfle1oZPA0V0zjLYQHvz59UePTp1PIgE2N28YCHRZXhZ2YX3mRW8U_9SAb8kePhfNgB5XYWopOE4IXjGS0uJweR6PyCvYs6IppJwxsIx1mRG7iFnics6UWN3T6-FIs/s1600/HalfDome2001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="woman leaning on tree" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9Xl-mxiaYKrU4Hfle1oZPA0V0zjLYQHvz59UePTp1PIgE2N28YCHRZXhZ2YX3mRW8U_9SAb8kePhfNgB5XYWopOE4IXjGS0uJweR6PyCvYs6IppJwxsIx1mRG7iFnics6UWN3T6-FIs/s320/HalfDome2001.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=37.7252777778,-119.532777778&spn=0.01,0.01&q=37.7252777778,-119.532777778%20(Nevada%20Fall)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Nevada Fall">Nevada Falls</a> on the way up to <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half_Dome" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Half Dome">Half Dome</a> - <a class="zem_slink" href="http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/308" rel="unesco" target="_blank" title="Yosemite National Park">Yosemite National Park</a> - Sept 2001</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHhA60UnZxwWMh2SMTEL47FVJTi5Gv1znjPiLmQK0o_fJNDKOYYdpKf3hwErFlTWF14t2cpq2vR0wJhFm7MEdKCass-wOpFzDUyxVC0QYcjjTIqtnvYr0PVpREKgOeYlp3EtCORyXdT_A/s1600/Bear+Panoramic+Trail+Yosemite+Fall+2002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="bear walking along hiking trail" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHhA60UnZxwWMh2SMTEL47FVJTi5Gv1znjPiLmQK0o_fJNDKOYYdpKf3hwErFlTWF14t2cpq2vR0wJhFm7MEdKCass-wOpFzDUyxVC0QYcjjTIqtnvYr0PVpREKgOeYlp3EtCORyXdT_A/s320/Bear+Panoramic+Trail+Yosemite+Fall+2002.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The friendly stalker bear on the Panoramic Trail - Yosemite - Fall 2002</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAp_oDiebJeq8yxhlJv91ma1vrbqEOMVktmUnlGr4bVZb1UjJc_njM-dtc72xcbMloL_fngjOkluC1LvJE188dos3R5-BTwdxX39uCmoQD5wmBByD_-a3e7YmvPYvjNpdAW48RUg6-T4/s1600/Yosemite+Squirrel+Sept+2008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="squirrel with half dome in background" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAp_oDiebJeq8yxhlJv91ma1vrbqEOMVktmUnlGr4bVZb1UjJc_njM-dtc72xcbMloL_fngjOkluC1LvJE188dos3R5-BTwdxX39uCmoQD5wmBByD_-a3e7YmvPYvjNpdAW48RUg6-T4/s320/Yosemite+Squirrel+Sept+2008.jpg" title="" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photogenic squirrel - Yosemite - Sept 2008</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Living in California also gave me many opportunities to hike along spectacular seashores, giant redwoods and to get to know wonderful people along the way.<br />
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNs6UHUwi3hcGacfyl1DrC94XeomDQP_Xcxix09e9_pbLnXSjnHeQBXift28ePqKGLuqblJmyzHEHgFjbMxztGhf6wDaCX5gr72bmmaJe0AqmV2wF-vdaPLIqNVjtMDIpZTwN6lKX6cg/s1600/Garrapata+State+Park+Fall+2002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><img alt="Garrapata State Park seashore at sunset" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNs6UHUwi3hcGacfyl1DrC94XeomDQP_Xcxix09e9_pbLnXSjnHeQBXift28ePqKGLuqblJmyzHEHgFjbMxztGhf6wDaCX5gr72bmmaJe0AqmV2wF-vdaPLIqNVjtMDIpZTwN6lKX6cg/s320/Garrapata+State+Park+Fall+2002.jpg" title="" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=36.4694444444,-121.91&spn=0.01,0.01&q=36.4694444444,-121.91%20(Garrapata%20State%20Park)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Garrapata State Park">Garrapata State Park</a>, CA - Fall 2002</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhZ7aZOZfZM0CXrLdbocN7LJUwSeAVaHQnHWMVmynbTU0p6tlGGAfQD71KNWwo7uBQCtAtcmYCd7ePn-G8exisb3vtU6eE3oVCB4NbDVlsDXj31w_hLgMZc-60R0RNdj9qSgWGk2GQ5s/s1600/Point+Lobos+Spring+2003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="couple at point lobos national seashore" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhZ7aZOZfZM0CXrLdbocN7LJUwSeAVaHQnHWMVmynbTU0p6tlGGAfQD71KNWwo7uBQCtAtcmYCd7ePn-G8exisb3vtU6eE3oVCB4NbDVlsDXj31w_hLgMZc-60R0RNdj9qSgWGk2GQ5s/s320/Point+Lobos+Spring+2003.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">D and I at <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=36.5171,-121.9426&spn=0.01,0.01&q=36.5171,-121.9426%20(Point%20Lobos)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Point Lobos">Point Lobos</a> - Spring 2003</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLnkHocZhus22_b92YgHYYxalkQzrcmZ93f7klX0nMK4KDCRZsQjs_LzBj-uV0b4Mw0kPjesINoxrCopd-pCChdy1JR27kraIQP2AqljApNYgFI3YdoIpYkzKgeI29Dz5yR64DweM4_GU/s1600/Tennessee+Valley+April+2004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="hikers in Tennessee Valley California" border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLnkHocZhus22_b92YgHYYxalkQzrcmZ93f7klX0nMK4KDCRZsQjs_LzBj-uV0b4Mw0kPjesINoxrCopd-pCChdy1JR27kraIQP2AqljApNYgFI3YdoIpYkzKgeI29Dz5yR64DweM4_GU/s320/Tennessee+Valley+April+2004.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last hike before moving away from California - Tennessee Valley - April 2004</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
After moving to Vancouver, I did a lot of business travel for the first 18 months. Still, I found time to hike in the area, visiting Buntzen Lake and Lynn Canyon the most. I finally converted to a Kodak compact digital camera in 2006, but all the photos from my time in Vancouver were backed up on a hard drive that is now failing, so I can't post any right now. At least the best of them have been printed!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
After moving to Montreal, my wanderings became more urban, but vacations still take us to more rugged areas. My faithful boots took me through Zakros Gorge in Crete, through some parks in rural Quebec, and even back to California.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLq6E1ktPY0s80I6m7tUmK_UzfIEWvxTHKxAoOaEL1lzHfxjDsAdC-tPT1Xp4V31WWGpiQ2Eu8En_ktad_8YGAzEzkrHdmlY6ZSN51NYUTV2MCXX7buPj6oC-Q-exPkpZE7j54dfrZZ6Q/s1600/Crete+Zakros+Gorge+May+2009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="trail under tree at Zakros Gorge Crete" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLq6E1ktPY0s80I6m7tUmK_UzfIEWvxTHKxAoOaEL1lzHfxjDsAdC-tPT1Xp4V31WWGpiQ2Eu8En_ktad_8YGAzEzkrHdmlY6ZSN51NYUTV2MCXX7buPj6oC-Q-exPkpZE7j54dfrZZ6Q/s320/Crete+Zakros+Gorge+May+2009.jpg" title="" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zakros Gorge - Crete - May 2009</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAXNfeI2BAO_IVcWq2EInCcix2zgA4zflr4s1sroIUA7ShjEiLs432YP1ULBN7TLqFDI9OfDCpH8jAGcX__EUTmdlGF0F0inkzj6JxhH4cBAznFmqM2RbrZaQHqA3W2KUQmvDITyC4gk/s1600/Saguenay+Anniversary+2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="shoreline at Saquenay National Park" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAXNfeI2BAO_IVcWq2EInCcix2zgA4zflr4s1sroIUA7ShjEiLs432YP1ULBN7TLqFDI9OfDCpH8jAGcX__EUTmdlGF0F0inkzj6JxhH4cBAznFmqM2RbrZaQHqA3W2KUQmvDITyC4gk/s320/Saguenay+Anniversary+2010.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saguenay National Park - July 2010</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRTaKfx6iDb5kedySW-NERpfrtcNtKvCXMsg8Qyts0sTg86_q07KmBCK7x7sowBS-pFMCABwDBCTLD9dTxZFSwBib_LnGJNCCZ2zqVEjPymLm7cKrFHuMVnPLd8tB2t5-iOLEM1SfwtU/s1600/Armstrong+Redwoods+St+Natural+Res+May+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="giant trees and creek at Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRTaKfx6iDb5kedySW-NERpfrtcNtKvCXMsg8Qyts0sTg86_q07KmBCK7x7sowBS-pFMCABwDBCTLD9dTxZFSwBib_LnGJNCCZ2zqVEjPymLm7cKrFHuMVnPLd8tB2t5-iOLEM1SfwtU/s320/Armstrong+Redwoods+St+Natural+Res+May+2012.jpg" title="" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve - May 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
I will invest in another pair of good hiking boots and I can't wait to see where they will take me!<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=037e2634-1833-429d-af6e-eb847af863cb" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>
JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-56100969287452701982013-07-20T08:52:00.000-04:002013-07-22T23:02:54.880-04:00Summer Mini-Bloggiesta<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqyA128ooFqm8Z3GiYpt0Vx1YyEHlnLBhhEgyHiAcbNjASLQz888YIOApef30FgKVzdlL0J-mbusOMSBBu8IDeWp0JV4U-46DK3DAr_9p9XCk54lCwixi_jdrfmN6P6aPUVpOw-OKwiA/s1600/blogiesta.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Bloggiesta mascot boy with sombrero on computer" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqyA128ooFqm8Z3GiYpt0Vx1YyEHlnLBhhEgyHiAcbNjASLQz888YIOApef30FgKVzdlL0J-mbusOMSBBu8IDeWp0JV4U-46DK3DAr_9p9XCk54lCwixi_jdrfmN6P6aPUVpOw-OKwiA/s1600/blogiesta.gif" title="PEDRO Plan Edit Develop Review Organize" /></a></div>
<br />
Rainy summer weekends are perfect for reading and writing, so it's the ideal time to participate in a <a href="http://www.bloggiesta.com/2013/07/summer-2013-mini-bloggiesta-this-weekend/" target="_blank"><b>mini-Bloggiesta</b></a>. What is a mini-Bloggiesta? Well, it's the same as the <a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2012/09/ill-be-joining-bloggiesta-party.html" target="_blank"><b>regular event</b></a>, just shorter and with fewer mini-challenges.<br />
<br />
Here's what's on my to-do list this weekend:<br />
<ol>
<li>Write two planned posts for this blog.</li>
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2013/07/homage-to-great-pair-of-hiking-boots.html" target="_blank">One done</a>.</b> Postponing the other until #2 is done.</i></li>
</ul>
<li>Write at least one <i>new</i> post for my <a href="http://blog.socketsandlightbulbs.com/" target="_blank"><b>business blog</b></a>.</li>
<ul>
<li><i>Done Monday night. Whew! </i></li>
<li><i>While I was there, I updated my featured posts on the front page.</i></li>
</ul>
<li>Send the Knowledge Event themes to the volunteers for the for the PMI Community of Practice blog I edit. </li>
<ul>
<li><i>Done!</i></li>
</ul>
<li>Find a blog post to republish on the above blog. </li>
<ul>
<li><i>Done! Just waiting for permission...</i></li>
</ul>
<li>Participate in the Twitter chat at 10pm today.</li>
<ul>
<li><i>Done!</i></li>
</ul>
<li>Promote my <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/socketsandlightbulbs" target="_blank">Sockets and Lightbulbs Facebook page</a> </b>(including this link doesn't count).</li>
<li>Do the following Bloggiesta mini-challenges:</li>
<ul>
<li><b><a href="http://momssmallvictories.com/comment-comment-comment-spread-the-love-and-grow-your-network/" target="_blank">Comment, Comment, Comment</a></b> by Mom's Small Victories</li>
<ul>
<li><i>Done!</i></li>
</ul>
<li><b><a href="http://onabookbender.com/2013/07/18/easy-seo-tweaks-bloggiesta-mini-challenge/" target="_blank">Easy SEO Tweaks</a></b> by On A Book Bender</li>
<ul>
<li><i>Done!</i></li>
</ul>
<li><b><a href="http://cy-v.nl/2013/07/18/bloggiesta-mini-challenge-alt-motives/" target="_blank">alt motives</a></b> by Spamantha</li>
<ul>
<li><i>Done!</i></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li>Break apart an old post into three separate posts so I can share them separately.</li>
<li>Write custom Blog Follow Email and Comment Follow Email texts.</li>
<li>Start an article for an online magazine that had approached me for a contribution.</li>
<li>Reconnect with another blogger for a potential guest post.</li>
</ol>
<div>
If I think of anything else to add over the weekend, I'll just update this list. At the end of the weekend, I'll also update this post with what I accomplished.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Time to get some tea and start writing!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-43156193586988455672013-06-30T23:18:00.000-04:002013-06-30T23:19:34.150-04:00Making The Best Of Business TravelI didn't blog much in May and June because I was away a fair amount - twice on business. Like everyone early in their career, I thought business travel would be so sexy. Then I got a job where I had to travel every month. That's when I learned that it can take a lot of energy, so I learned a few things about how to make the best of business travel.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBbiUzX2_9ivDcPb_RNRm6FiGWUyCUMmRgpomsYFqx7gynLbCePS56Ui6KioyJ6E13KP6BkYTSE7dd1ZYw4-O8Vq4FxTedyvo2r2A1XEza9q80iYdLXwRcz1oQBs6WI_y-VbtFSwdc4Ws/s1600/IMG_0825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBbiUzX2_9ivDcPb_RNRm6FiGWUyCUMmRgpomsYFqx7gynLbCePS56Ui6KioyJ6E13KP6BkYTSE7dd1ZYw4-O8Vq4FxTedyvo2r2A1XEza9q80iYdLXwRcz1oQBs6WI_y-VbtFSwdc4Ws/s320/IMG_0825.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown Frankfurt after a day of rain</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In May, I spent a week in Frankfurt for work. Fortunately, D and I spent about 24 hours in Frankfurt about 20 months earlier. We saw more then than I did in my week in May - I was working that much. How can you make the best of a situation like that?<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Bring your camera</b></li>
<ul>
<li>I was lucky to get a room with a great view and was able to go for a short walk around the hotel. By having my travel camera with me, I was able to get a great shot of downtown Frankfurt on a moody night (above) and feel a little like a tourist during my walk. During my last visit, D and I saw a life-sized Batman statue on a street I knew wasn't far from the hotel. So, I was on a mission to get a picture. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find it again - but the quest was fun!</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Practice your German</b></li>
<ul>
<li>I got to practice - just a little bit. Still, it was fun to practice the language... and help a colleague buy his dinner.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Eat like a local</b></li>
<ul>
<li>In Germany, the main meal is traditionally at lunch with sandwiches and cold cuts in the evening. The company I was working with always made sure we had a decent lunch, often with food Germans typically eat. For dinner, I raided a grocery store near the hotel, buying bread, cheese, wine, chocolate and an antipasti plate. Yeah, antipasti is Italian, but cultures are crossing borders in Europe, just like in North America. </li>
</ul>
</ol>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAA-yZrFtKQHvURLHEMoOrzvDn6TyG35covfG_4Y9g-UVUT3qMiB5GvciClxW3qXNU9UVQzErDBhHj7GMf5W2OvDAm_d1ajSyXALHaKD4HgG-6v0_ddBgl3YMqJTcpe8gFdiwgWawbhng/s1600/DSC_0263.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAA-yZrFtKQHvURLHEMoOrzvDn6TyG35covfG_4Y9g-UVUT3qMiB5GvciClxW3qXNU9UVQzErDBhHj7GMf5W2OvDAm_d1ajSyXALHaKD4HgG-6v0_ddBgl3YMqJTcpe8gFdiwgWawbhng/s320/DSC_0263.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zombies at E3</td></tr>
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In June, I was honoured to be sent to E3 - the biggest trade show in the video game industry. It was a working trip. I spent a good part of the three days working in the booth, providing support to press VIPs as they played a demo of our game. I also spent a good part of my time in the hotel room, answering emails and providing support to the team back at the office. Still, I managed to walk around the exhibition floor and have some fun outside of the show. Best tips from this trip are:</div>
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<li><b>Bring your spouse</b></li>
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<li>This was the first time D came along with me on a business trip. I am SO glad he came. We got him a free affiliate pass (he is affiliated with the video game industry), so he got to take in the show floor and do some networking on his own. Still, checking out the show floor and trying out some games with him was fun. When a show event didn't work out one evening, we decided to try a delicious <a href="http://industrielfarm.com/" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">urban farm restaurant</a>. I love my colleagues, but I have been seeing them a lot lately, so it was needed change to spend some time with my husband in a work context.</li>
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<li><b>Finally meet some people... in person</b></li>
<ul>
<li> In our uber-connected world, we often do business over email, telephone and web meetings. While it can work well for the day-to-day, it still makes a big difference to meet the people you are working with face-to-face. Since my time was limited, I only met with the people I currently work with and past partners I particularly enjoyed working with. That is a lot more useful and enjoyable way to spend precious time.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Take care of some (long overdue) personal business</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Nothing feels better than being able to take care of some long overdue personal business - no matter where you are! It only took an hour and it's DONE.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Bad flight schedule? No problem! Visit a favorite place.</b></li>
<ul>
<li>I was booked on the red-eye flight back to Montreal and I couldn't get D on the same flight. Ugh. Well, LA is only about two hours away from San Diego, so I decided to rent a car and spend the afternoon at the San Diego Zoo. Last time I visited was 2001, so I was looking forward to taking my DSLR and adding to a collection of photos originally shot in film. In addition, due to an accident on the highway, it took me twice as long as expected to drive to San Diego, but I was treated to a drive through <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/cleveland/home" target="_blank"><b>Cleveland National Forest</b></a>, west of Temecula. So, the next time you are booked on a less-than-ideal flight, take the opportunity to visit a favorite place or a new place. </li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwD_iChHIEjvbz0MRkUcEhQJD4ND9LdIIMk0tLMP13xzUK6_QOPKbqt0sb0m8wh83Stgkonw975QAUntCL8MGBf7NBc54MeKQDA_EB_ks_CxA1Gm15pJiHVUasAJQV904cWjpL3qCMVyw/s1600/DSC_0301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwD_iChHIEjvbz0MRkUcEhQJD4ND9LdIIMk0tLMP13xzUK6_QOPKbqt0sb0m8wh83Stgkonw975QAUntCL8MGBf7NBc54MeKQDA_EB_ks_CxA1Gm15pJiHVUasAJQV904cWjpL3qCMVyw/s320/DSC_0301.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turtle photo bomber!</td></tr>
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JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-47704726395953395432013-04-27T20:41:00.000-04:002013-04-27T20:41:09.123-04:00Exploring The New PlanetariumMore than a year after the old <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Planetarium" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Montreal Planetarium"><b>Dow Planetarium</b></a> closed it's doors, the new <a href="http://espacepourlavie.ca/en/planetarium" target="_blank"><b>Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium</b></a> opened this month. Having been an astronomy fan all my life, I couldn't wait to explore it. I posted it as a<b> <a href="http://www.meetin.org/city/MEETinMONTREAL/index.cfm" target="_blank">MEETin</a> </b>event and a number of people were interested in attending. Several dropped out due for a variety of reasons, one of which was because the Planetarium was BUSY. The website advises visitors to buy tickets online and they are not kidding. The 2:30pm show was sold out well in advance and one member hadn't bought her ticket so she bid her farewell and enjoyed the beautiful spring afternoon outdoors.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeT7luvhxiE3o1z_QrJMeJjzuexhLsEsJCulD0UtqesKlBSe_TV_evWUeiCTRDBDAMyH3Q0a7PsI9YXTtVVqAUyCmhEdSa5pqsTqzFd35KOC6pnlcKeK_5wKX-vJLBZ9HPE9Va215OAc/s1600/IMG_0811.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeT7luvhxiE3o1z_QrJMeJjzuexhLsEsJCulD0UtqesKlBSe_TV_evWUeiCTRDBDAMyH3Q0a7PsI9YXTtVVqAUyCmhEdSa5pqsTqzFd35KOC6pnlcKeK_5wKX-vJLBZ9HPE9Va215OAc/s320/IMG_0811.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Planetarium with the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/biodome/site/site.php?langue=en" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Montreal Biodome">Biodome</a> (left) and <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_Stadium_%28Montreal%29" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Olympic Stadium (Montreal)">Olympic Stadium</a> (background)</td></tr>
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A friend and I had bought our tickets in advance, so we explored the interactive exhibits on meteorites and life in the universe before getting in line for the first show. Before entering <i>Continuum</i>, the staff give you a bag so you can take off your shoes for a really immersive experience. While it's not mandatory, I recommend giving it a try. If you are near the front of the line, you also have the option of watching the show from really comfortable bean bag chairs. The graphics and music are amazing as you are taken on a journey from your back yard, through the universe and to the beginning of life. It is hard to describe - you will just have to see it.</div>
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The next show, <i>From The Earth To The Stars</i>, is a more traditional Planetarium show where a charming narrator acquaints you with the stars currently in the sky above Montreal and then takes you through the solar system, galaxy and universe. The graphics from the new projector were fantastic.</div>
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As great as the shows and exhibits were, the highlight of the visit for me was looking through a solar telescope set up outside the entrance. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAo5dsK5WUevr62UUKXMLhk_WSEIm32s2rJlQzZuT_8PPrpDPqhaMgq0TWkDRuvSKdNrTDOYyAlt14dPeuXVR3EqAZFR8X6SDgePoDdVDBpON5b_bVwz8QaKqOWqJF0pmS1BWZKJ29Nnk/s1600/IMG_0806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAo5dsK5WUevr62UUKXMLhk_WSEIm32s2rJlQzZuT_8PPrpDPqhaMgq0TWkDRuvSKdNrTDOYyAlt14dPeuXVR3EqAZFR8X6SDgePoDdVDBpON5b_bVwz8QaKqOWqJF0pmS1BWZKJ29Nnk/s320/IMG_0806.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of those rare moments where I'm in front of the camera</td></tr>
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I was even allowed to put my camera up to the telescope and take a picture of the sun. You can see the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_flare" target="_blank"><b>solar flares</b></a> on the edge of the sun. If you look closely, you can also see a <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunspot" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Sunspot"><b>sun spot</b></a> (a slightly dark spot) in the lower half near the middle. That sun spot is about the size of the Earth.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWajjC3Ib-6RrcPPj4BRr7Js830MsMTzVyT9Z_nwqMw0BetlwMeIuEFeITtr96Bh9lhwUtw-OesX_MoO8bn87vyQiuMt9S580cgSveO3Ko_hhlKNQyERVsElhSoHtQ5NhfXgHoRLkDkMc/s1600/IMG_0812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWajjC3Ib-6RrcPPj4BRr7Js830MsMTzVyT9Z_nwqMw0BetlwMeIuEFeITtr96Bh9lhwUtw-OesX_MoO8bn87vyQiuMt9S580cgSveO3Ko_hhlKNQyERVsElhSoHtQ5NhfXgHoRLkDkMc/s320/IMG_0812.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our sun through a solar telescope</td></tr>
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I definitely recommend checking out the new Planetarium. Just remember to get your tickets in advance. You can get regular and Quebec resident tickets online. Student and Access Montreal discounts are only available at the Planetarium, so arrive early. The early morning shows were not sold out.</div>
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JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com0Parc Olympique, 4141 Avenue Pierre-de Coubertin, Montreal, QC H1V 3N7, Canada45.560439053337795 -73.55070540466306345.557659553337793 -73.555747904663065 45.5632185533378 -73.545662904663061tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-80930135187888674472013-03-23T19:11:00.000-04:002013-03-23T19:11:42.567-04:00Sweet TreatsOne of the benefits (or curses) of living in Montreal is the fabulous food. If you have a sweet tooth like I have, there are many wonderful temptations. In the last six weeks, I had the pleasure of sampling a long time favorite and trying some place new.<br />
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<a href="http://www.olivierpiffaudat.com/" target="_blank"><b>Olivier Piffaudat Chocolatier Alchimiste</b></a> is the inspiration of my good friend Olivier. Over the last two years, he has been building his business and his collection of tasty and unusual chocolates. Just before Valentine's Day, he was part of <b><a href="http://www.jetaimeenchocolat.com/" target="_blank">Je t'aime en chocolat</a> </b>- a celebration of all things chocolate at Marché Bonsecours. I went to check out his latest inventions and to get acquainted with Montreal's other chocolatiers. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhGwLik9Mqs0f_4uBwci24v1eehUFe6VCaxilQZsMVMFAJi1gPDNjLg6lSb0N5NSyD4ALTMSQIa9haDN_ivSxrvZDntk_HED0BxRhpcxip_9VBA94qZIqqcAUFFNMLaWgoAcPew4hyH8/s1600/Je+t'aime+en+chocolat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhGwLik9Mqs0f_4uBwci24v1eehUFe6VCaxilQZsMVMFAJi1gPDNjLg6lSb0N5NSyD4ALTMSQIa9haDN_ivSxrvZDntk_HED0BxRhpcxip_9VBA94qZIqqcAUFFNMLaWgoAcPew4hyH8/s320/Je+t'aime+en+chocolat.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The exhibition space was packed!</td></tr>
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Olivier's table was filled with a selection of every chocolate in his collection. With Valentine's Day coming, I bought one of each of his chocolate cocktails. What are chocolate cocktails? They are a re-imagination of your favorite, classic cocktails in chocolate form, such as Bloody Mary, Cosmo, Pina Colada and, my favorite, Margarita. For the exhibition, he was also selling Mexican Hot Chocolate. I love a good Mexican Hot Chocolate, so I had to get a cup. It was thick, sweet, rich with the kick of hot chili. Perfect for a cold winter day. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizPUhOyKVYL0Joefpww2LLVf_4CIJQmKPI6QkclvaLle6FuHz2W7Ccm3ZZqBX51jRrWt-UJPwvnBYUYDvGpVQSUrb35r-oBtJeqYEvsAWhRzckH5bhZy-IIzrP42Zkx8MRgaYRc8RzQeE/s1600/OP+Chocolatier+Alchemiste.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizPUhOyKVYL0Joefpww2LLVf_4CIJQmKPI6QkclvaLle6FuHz2W7Ccm3ZZqBX51jRrWt-UJPwvnBYUYDvGpVQSUrb35r-oBtJeqYEvsAWhRzckH5bhZy-IIzrP42Zkx8MRgaYRc8RzQeE/s320/OP+Chocolatier+Alchemiste.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">O.P Chocolatier Alchemiste's Collection </td></tr>
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In March, I held a tea and macaroon event with some friends at <a href="http://lamaisondumacaron.com/" target="_blank"><b>La Maison du Macaron</b></a> in my neighbourhood. With over 20 different flavours to choose from, it was hard to pick just three to have with my tea. Almost all of us had the macaron du mois, a delicate maple and cashew nut. I am always a fan of seasonal products, so I selected the <i>Pailleté Feulletine </i>and caramelized banana macaroons to round out my trio. If you're looking for a small, quiet and delicious dessert place to have a coffee or tea with friends, I can recommend La Maison du Macaron.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOvt3sLvgYPYYhTyaTCpot2vk3MB4NjtWyqsa9j9bQ3WvHwQ1GZtG7eSwhwBGM8hEeml8iS5frna_0BtJZdCl-27HYKoi3Br8ge1ZSJ2vAG0JIuVcRmDf3PNzKTfiUxDZPSzQ8PY_Bfk/s1600/IMG_0661.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOvt3sLvgYPYYhTyaTCpot2vk3MB4NjtWyqsa9j9bQ3WvHwQ1GZtG7eSwhwBGM8hEeml8iS5frna_0BtJZdCl-27HYKoi3Br8ge1ZSJ2vAG0JIuVcRmDf3PNzKTfiUxDZPSzQ8PY_Bfk/s320/IMG_0661.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tea and a trio of macaroons</td></tr>
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Good thing Spring is around the corner. The warmer weather will get me doing more active things outdoors, distracting me from these sweet treats.<br />
<br />JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-72777441276011697592013-03-23T11:40:00.000-04:002013-03-24T20:35:54.369-04:00Blogging Marathon Weekend (sort of)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-D0t8Bp4770yYzGmaE13Ytkv3QU3m5UJUw-dtaBoRN8813-jJaY67wU6htZ6LyiELenJjbP1m8s6pQ4rP7Sbm47F995l1q5uspmluGnzCfDsmGi7r8yHPeF1vB_hcoxZrKsLpJtcTEfk/s1600/DSC_0259_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-D0t8Bp4770yYzGmaE13Ytkv3QU3m5UJUw-dtaBoRN8813-jJaY67wU6htZ6LyiELenJjbP1m8s6pQ4rP7Sbm47F995l1q5uspmluGnzCfDsmGi7r8yHPeF1vB_hcoxZrKsLpJtcTEfk/s320/DSC_0259_2.JPG" width="319" /></a></div>
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I'm not spending nearly enough time on my blogs. My business blog is being neglected due to my hectic work schedule. Even though I only update this one once a month, the quality of what I post could be better. This is why I was really looking forward to this weekend. I've known about the semi-annual <a href="http://www.bloggiesta.com/2013/03/bloggiesta-march-2013-starting-line-posts-2/" target="_blank"><b>Bloggiesta</b></a> since the <a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2013/02/mini-bloggiesta-time.html" target="_blank"><b>mini-Bloggiesta</b></a> in early February. Just this week, though, I found out the Biannual Blogathon Bash is also holding an <a href="http://www.biannualblogathonbash.com/2013/03/itty-bitty-blogathon-is-on/" target="_blank"><b>Itty Bitty Blogathon</b></a>. Not one, but two reasons to focus on my blog! But... I have to block off some time for work and a social commitment. So, I won't be spending as much time on blogging as I would like.<br />
<br />
With that in mind, my blogging goals for this weekend are simple (<i>with updates at the end of the weekend in italics)</i>:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Write a post for this blog and my <a href="http://blog.socketsandlightbulbs.com/" target="_blank"><b>business blog</b></a>. </li>
<ul>
<li><i>Done!</i></li>
</ul>
<li>Find a post on a particular subject to republish for the PMI Community of Practice blog I edit.</li>
<ul>
<li><i>Not done... yet.</i></li>
</ul>
<li>Participate in Twitter chats. (I'm doing that as I write this!) </li>
<ul>
<li><i>Participated in both Bloggiesta and one of Blogathon2 Twitter chats. </i></li>
</ul>
<li>Promote my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/socketsandlightbulbs" target="_blank"><b>Sockets and Lightbulbs Facebook page</b>.</a></li>
<ul>
<li><i>Spent a bit of time on this. I added a link to the blog post on how to promote your blog on Facebook. I posted something about it on Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus and invited Facebook friends to "like". Doubled my "likes" as a result. Need to do this more often, as well as start some original discussions on Facebook.</i></li>
</ul>
<li>Figure out a way to build on my <b><a href="http://blog.socketsandlightbulbs.com/2012/02/19/the-best-scrum-ban-plan-board-ever/" target="_blank">one-hit wonder post</a>.</b> This post alone gets half my blog views!</li>
<ul>
<li><i>I spent some time analyzing the search engine terms that led to blog views. My top 100 search terms boiled down to four key categories. It's very clear who my audience is. I also learned that Google is only indexing my post titles. I changed two post titles to include common search terms. We'll see if that improves views on those two posts. It was also interesting to see what terms did NOT show up.</i></li>
</ul>
<li>Do the "<a href="http://onabookbender.com/2013/03/21/bloggiesta-mini-challenge-through-a-visitors-eyes/" target="_blank"><b>Through A Visitor's Eyes</b></a>" Bloggiesta mini-challenge</li>
<ul>
<li><i>Done! It was very helpful. I need to think about how someone would search for a particular post on my blog.</i></li>
</ul>
<li>Check out Itty Bitty Blogathon's task list and try a few, even if I don't officially enter the challenge.</li>
<ul>
<li><i>Read through the impressive task list and did one: ran BDC Website Assessment. As I acted on the result, I discovered that my domain registrar had my domain listed as "expired" (it's not). Got that fixed!</i></li>
</ul>
<li><b>Update: </b>Break apart an old post into three separate posts so I can share them separately.</li>
<ul>
<li><i>Didn't get to it. I mostly put this on the list as a reminder to do this.</i></li>
</ul>
<li><b>Update: </b>Write custom Blog Follow Email text and Comment Follow Email text.</li>
<ul>
<li><i>Same as above.</i></li>
</ul>
</ol>
<div>
If I get all the above done this weekend, I'm rocking!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Why am I participating in both events simultaneously? Bloggiesta is mainly for book bloggers. I LOVE the community, which is why I participate every time. Blogathon is supposed to be more general, so I thought I would see what one of the events were like. </div>
<div>
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<div>
Happy blogging!</div>
JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-33189859296953218992013-02-20T21:28:00.004-05:002013-02-20T21:31:49.099-05:00Skating And Ice At Winterlude!Although I live only two hours from Ottawa, I have not been to <a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2008/02/winterlude.html" target="_blank">Winterlude since 2008</a>. With a little encouragement from an old friend from university, I made some time for a day trip to catch up with her and enjoy two of my favorite parts of Winterlude: skating on the canal and ice sculptures.<br />
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Of course, I took a few pictures from the day:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJ1y34WY5L1brDlZcDrpR_bl3rW85Ch-247-4KVnakHnqkQzkCGKiD6g52Xe30bNU_JZaPxsvibl8w_9idDX5speHkAPS9cOmbakMGDXO-ZToAflQ5KJgrvy-XudsyE-ppIk7PdIygI4/s1600/Winterlude+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJ1y34WY5L1brDlZcDrpR_bl3rW85Ch-247-4KVnakHnqkQzkCGKiD6g52Xe30bNU_JZaPxsvibl8w_9idDX5speHkAPS9cOmbakMGDXO-ZToAflQ5KJgrvy-XudsyE-ppIk7PdIygI4/s320/Winterlude+2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skating the Rideau Canal - the world's largest outdoor skating rink</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv50qcEQQxF-snHr73DS058marBdyuHAOgywW4tPV_b15VdDB6qnbpEIzfQXPYNabjwrxMyBo5qhsR2eg0a-p6vBMy4ngd1E6jMdNGy4-qvhNgCNCNLRkpCydEkHI_VGFTQJbg-a1Fr8c/s1600/Winterlude+2013-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv50qcEQQxF-snHr73DS058marBdyuHAOgywW4tPV_b15VdDB6qnbpEIzfQXPYNabjwrxMyBo5qhsR2eg0a-p6vBMy4ngd1E6jMdNGy4-qvhNgCNCNLRkpCydEkHI_VGFTQJbg-a1Fr8c/s320/Winterlude+2013-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lot more crowded downtown. Canada's parliament buildings in the background.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_33uqtsizQ9FDK027JOQpJ7vOfEYVTyMM6AszmshNFZBpRYhk8tCJ0pugn_TR2P3yhPnas6Sd2KAqR02bTz1Y51_XkVu6NlJl4xYhMQnUTlwjI1Qkv-YB7jwLmWwYZM1Mktxhv1skM84/s1600/Winterlude+2013-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_33uqtsizQ9FDK027JOQpJ7vOfEYVTyMM6AszmshNFZBpRYhk8tCJ0pugn_TR2P3yhPnas6Sd2KAqR02bTz1Y51_XkVu6NlJl4xYhMQnUTlwjI1Qkv-YB7jwLmWwYZM1Mktxhv1skM84/s320/Winterlude+2013-3.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Recognize her? She's the queen from the movie "Alien"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJJrQfK3GfckmhoB3Mxs0sdkPD-t9qiPTJ0f5X_AYxwWw2jWp6TpTsTax84lAYJ5lPzkpNODuLOPNbIrTf0JEAeIQXKIsjXK_fGbv3WgJOf_lFlfBWkSRZcNI8QZARsNv9kBnwmIxTSo/s1600/Winterlude+2013-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJJrQfK3GfckmhoB3Mxs0sdkPD-t9qiPTJ0f5X_AYxwWw2jWp6TpTsTax84lAYJ5lPzkpNODuLOPNbIrTf0JEAeIQXKIsjXK_fGbv3WgJOf_lFlfBWkSRZcNI8QZARsNv9kBnwmIxTSo/s320/Winterlude+2013-4.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love the spirit of this sculpture</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6fE5gcm9afdTTwtopQulBDXcef_3d0DswrJaN0hV8FqKlJvPFJXXdYB8KEhlCMWeJqI_K4d6Ip52TM_MPmm4-eB1p06XT_Rp57A7FZmaOAI9ATwA89LllqoP53A7LL5Wxs2v34HK6Z0/s1600/Winterlude+2013-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6fE5gcm9afdTTwtopQulBDXcef_3d0DswrJaN0hV8FqKlJvPFJXXdYB8KEhlCMWeJqI_K4d6Ip52TM_MPmm4-eB1p06XT_Rp57A7FZmaOAI9ATwA89LllqoP53A7LL5Wxs2v34HK6Z0/s320/Winterlude+2013-8.jpg" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging out by the fountain... and the power box.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2iNMERPMyEbrX7OtH8pN9I487qZEf-jyWoz5zgZrWaG5ekYTsLu824kg8jHhZoAW0tJuAMullaViwODkrRd8UB9tsvNg7leGLMbTPanx1upYGq1AmKV2h2FkLHMP_B0eVya64HI8Z68k/s1600/Winterlude+2013-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2iNMERPMyEbrX7OtH8pN9I487qZEf-jyWoz5zgZrWaG5ekYTsLu824kg8jHhZoAW0tJuAMullaViwODkrRd8UB9tsvNg7leGLMbTPanx1upYGq1AmKV2h2FkLHMP_B0eVya64HI8Z68k/s320/Winterlude+2013-9.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The park benches had to be dug out of the snow from a recent storm</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON, Canada45.4215296 -75.69719309999999344.7060676 -76.988086599999988 46.1369916 -74.4062996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-81618937867722122082013-02-03T19:24:00.000-05:002013-02-20T21:32:46.653-05:00Fête Des NeigesWhen I first moved to Montreal, I was looking forward to attending <i>Fête Des Neiges, </i>the annual winter festival encouraging kids and kids-at-heart to get out and enjoy the season. Unfortunately, it was cancelled that year due to a labour dispute. When it was finally brought back, I never found the time to go - until this year. After a freezing cold week, the weather warmed up to a balmy -13C, so I grabbed my skates, my camera and my snow gear and checked out the fun in Parc Jean Drapeau. <br />
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Here are some photos from that afternoon:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq1u-W2_jVAKeVqc-wM3If1GcfHY0Bb1A8I6vU2hS_lmdWOP9g6EA771SXl2KapY_XrBSgOZt6_a7Qf5XJKhP_geF9uOVdUprtfJTJV8cNBEpSIMNfVBA9zFuoLGi9eYNZawLnweJ5Dsk/s1600/Fete+des+Neiges+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq1u-W2_jVAKeVqc-wM3If1GcfHY0Bb1A8I6vU2hS_lmdWOP9g6EA771SXl2KapY_XrBSgOZt6_a7Qf5XJKhP_geF9uOVdUprtfJTJV8cNBEpSIMNfVBA9zFuoLGi9eYNZawLnweJ5Dsk/s320/Fete+des+Neiges+2013.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The previous week was SO cold that even the snow sculptures were shivering!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8TDRjkeFLxt7PTVLtAImmZjL8mJMb4ljRysRAPquVemTZ25xW6CJQeUMV0U5YWLjve4S1n4eLs14EY9fYtIFbco5haswGsbEWIaxgtmtClNlvvjVaVgCYOLRDlrp6icm4pIbLhkX9ryI/s1600/Fete+des+Neiges+2013-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8TDRjkeFLxt7PTVLtAImmZjL8mJMb4ljRysRAPquVemTZ25xW6CJQeUMV0U5YWLjve4S1n4eLs14EY9fYtIFbco5haswGsbEWIaxgtmtClNlvvjVaVgCYOLRDlrp6icm4pIbLhkX9ryI/s320/Fete+des+Neiges+2013-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow sculptor in action</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOE-hyKo1N7492KqVPPkuZ1ivfh2jjG9GNrZ3PtmIH6Lb7dDZDlPwduV-7Q4-2SkT5a8aIfuFDN9D0Uj3nlsAUkxVMRLO92qKjO1ExIqYNmKbJwH5XwC1jpdr8cgYxYFP_zR3b3ie7t7Q/s1600/Fete+des+Neiges+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOE-hyKo1N7492KqVPPkuZ1ivfh2jjG9GNrZ3PtmIH6Lb7dDZDlPwduV-7Q4-2SkT5a8aIfuFDN9D0Uj3nlsAUkxVMRLO92qKjO1ExIqYNmKbJwH5XwC1jpdr8cgYxYFP_zR3b3ie7t7Q/s320/Fete+des+Neiges+2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow creations</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoi3b85-nHLXI24qIELoprmhLeUkZ_hxAJJJ86NsImk51AzyzTNtsfvFX5HRYt2BAaeu3aizX9B0arwR_HX38WKH8Hqvd4YuZ2DqlIt6qIV2X2pEj_ho_FWzvQbW_J34GxIsRE0MhZbU/s1600/Fete+des+Neiges+2013-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoi3b85-nHLXI24qIELoprmhLeUkZ_hxAJJJ86NsImk51AzyzTNtsfvFX5HRYt2BAaeu3aizX9B0arwR_HX38WKH8Hqvd4YuZ2DqlIt6qIV2X2pEj_ho_FWzvQbW_J34GxIsRE0MhZbU/s320/Fete+des+Neiges+2013-8.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Awesome skating path along the St. Lawrence River - 1.5km total length</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjau-6-TqM0qnZm37XmiWe_i0Og0PJMzmy4VsXUOIth4Bh1cArXp3YPMsAwFRg_AJHEVD1H7tQhREWXYIUQa9SDgbl-BBiqT0QSgZ7AZ_3mw3mmvBjk9jpSH_BH6cNFGRRZ82OZREpn6Vw/s1600/Fete+des+Neiges+2013-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjau-6-TqM0qnZm37XmiWe_i0Og0PJMzmy4VsXUOIth4Bh1cArXp3YPMsAwFRg_AJHEVD1H7tQhREWXYIUQa9SDgbl-BBiqT0QSgZ7AZ_3mw3mmvBjk9jpSH_BH6cNFGRRZ82OZREpn6Vw/s320/Fete+des+Neiges+2013-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the river and Notre Dame bridge from the skating path</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4l1uVaamdxDRH_JHkK-FQKjtWT5uU_Ay_qqV4VfhsFGDfpcgOBb2MLYwJSAl_1PZ1Qn8DCpLVcGJlG1m_jcl_ypDYl7s8eFfOrZizZS7YLG-CN62bmEphovpapVDjECPT9WZOOXARVJ0/s1600/Fete+des+Neiges+2013-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4l1uVaamdxDRH_JHkK-FQKjtWT5uU_Ay_qqV4VfhsFGDfpcgOBb2MLYwJSAl_1PZ1Qn8DCpLVcGJlG1m_jcl_ypDYl7s8eFfOrZizZS7YLG-CN62bmEphovpapVDjECPT9WZOOXARVJ0/s320/Fete+des+Neiges+2013-10.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beaver Tail with cinnamon, sugar and a squeeze of lemon. Best way to wind up the afternoon!</td></tr>
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JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-67650146250550700212013-02-02T11:16:00.000-05:002013-02-04T09:06:24.976-05:00Mini-Bloggiesta Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAyK6mDXg4v3PCRf9lY2GP7QluHLXazcB-W4JA7DxleDTixL7iW4wfw7P3j3JlSLEGTaWbn4kRjc53DBUOTxakJHa8oslXl6Jw_pAGwsJJFcNOj89ii6ZPoxW4z5obSik6gg1qfTLE_w/s1600/blogiesta.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAyK6mDXg4v3PCRf9lY2GP7QluHLXazcB-W4JA7DxleDTixL7iW4wfw7P3j3JlSLEGTaWbn4kRjc53DBUOTxakJHa8oslXl6Jw_pAGwsJJFcNOj89ii6ZPoxW4z5obSik6gg1qfTLE_w/s1600/blogiesta.gif" /></a></div>
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This weekend the bloggers behind <a href="http://sueysbooks.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank"><b>It's All About Books</b></a> and <a href="http://www.theresabook.com/" target="_blank"><b>There's A Book</b></a> are hosting a mini-Bloggiesta - a weekend dedicated to improving your blog in the company of fabulous bloggers doing the same thing all around the world. <a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2012/09/its-bloggiesta-time.html" target="_blank"><b>I've participated </b></a>in the last three and loved it! I always look forward to when the event rolls around again. <br />
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Unfortunately, I have to work and have other commitments this weekend, so I will not be able to spend as much time on Bloggiesta as I would like. Still, I will try to fit in whatever I can. I plan to be home in time for the Twitter chat at 10pm tonight and I want to check out the <a href="http://www.bloggiesta.com/2013/02/mini-bloggiesta-mini-challenges/" target="_blank"><b>mini-challenge</b></a> on <a href="http://daydreamersthoughts.co.uk/mini-bloggiesta-mini-challenge-marketing-your-blog/" target="_blank"><b>marketing your blog</b></a>. No matter what, I need to write posts, both for this blog and <a href="http://blog.socketsandlightbulbs.com/" target="_blank"><b>my business blog</b></a>.<br />
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So, if you need to spend some time updating your blog, check out <a href="http://www.bloggiesta.com/2013/02/february-2013-mini-bloggiesta-starting-line/" target="_blank"><b>Bloggiesta</b></a> this weekend. Hope to see you at the starting or finish line!<br />
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<b><u>Finish Line Update:</u></b><br />
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Considering I had work and other commitments this past weekend, it turned out to be more of a micro-Bloggiesta for me. Still, I made some progress:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Participated in the Twitter chat, met some fabulous bloggers and had a great time!</li>
<li>Participated in the <b><a href="http://daydreamersthoughts.co.uk/mini-bloggiesta-mini-challenge-marketing-your-blog/" target="_blank">Marketing Your Blog</a> </b>and <b><a href="http://girlxoxo.com/xtras/comments-love-mini-bloggiesta-challenge-and-giveaway.php" target="_blank">Comments Love</a> </b>mini-challenges.</li>
<li>Wrote my <b><a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2013/02/fete-des-neiges.html" target="_blank">February post</a> </b>for this blog.</li>
<li>Started writing posts for my business blog, but didn't finish. I'll chip away at those during the week.</li>
<li>Tried to set up MyFreeCopyright.com, but never received the confirmation email. I would love to hear if anyone has any advice on that service. For those of you who use it, do you find it valuable?</li>
</ul>
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Next Bloggiesta is March 22-24. I'll make sure I keep the whole weekend reserved for blogging.</div>
JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-77684876329432472352013-01-02T19:02:00.000-05:002013-02-03T09:53:28.971-05:00New Year Reflections<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIRVZIdMvswjG3pj-1-52AL2FBhDY4izExFUNMvUGSICVoC3kODCPY-oubg3LxP_D0eQs2khBVLktzAjslBHem_oV6oOiisM3LMkaUm6R9nvg2etP2NZl7LqUdPKrGb3j7FErH7zHaYuw/s1600/Winter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIRVZIdMvswjG3pj-1-52AL2FBhDY4izExFUNMvUGSICVoC3kODCPY-oubg3LxP_D0eQs2khBVLktzAjslBHem_oV6oOiisM3LMkaUm6R9nvg2etP2NZl7LqUdPKrGb3j7FErH7zHaYuw/s320/Winter.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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As 2013 starts and I hide from the cold outside, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on how I'm doing on <a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2012/01/renewing-my-love-affair-with-montreal.html" target="_blank"><b>renewing my love affair</b></a> with Montreal. At the beginning of 2012, I declared I would:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Embrace winter (if it ever comes). Go skating, tobogganing, maybe even snowshoeing - at least once a week. Find and enjoy more tea or hot chocolate.</li>
<li><a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.com/2008/08/summer.html" target="_blank"><b>Embrace summer</b></a> (when it comes). Find and enjoy new terrasses. Eat outside on my own. Finally attend a show at the Just For Laughs festival. Spend time at the Jazz Festival. Have a picnic in a park. Watch the fireworks from Jacques Cartier bridge. Find and enjoy more shop-made ice cream.</li>
<li>Walk or ride my bike just for the fun of it. I got a bike bell in Amsterdam. I should use it :)</li>
<li>More solo street photography (outside of my monthly <a href="http://www.meetin.org/city/MEETinMONTREAL/index.cfm" target="_blank"><b>MEETin</b></a> photo walks).</li>
<li>Go to Jean Talon or Atwater market every week.</li>
<li>Go to the Botanical Gardens (my favorite) or some other park once a month.</li>
<li>Visit museums. We have A LOT of museums in Montreal and admission is inexpensive. Hmmm... I really should get an Access Montreal card.</li>
<li>Explore more restaurants, especially in my own neighbourhood and around work.</li>
<li>Wear fashionable clothes. Yes, I like living in a city where I can dress nicely. Now if I only worked in an industry that didn't think I had a job interview or a hot date every time I dressed up...</li>
<li>Update this blog once a month.</li>
</ul>
<br />
How did it turn out?<br />
<ul>
<li>Winter was really mild, so instead of enjoying winter sports, I <a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2012/03/10000-steps-day-what-does-it-take.html" target="_blank"><b>walked to work</b></a> a lot more often than I normally would, went back to <a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2010/04/sound-of-om.html" target="_blank"><b>yoga</b></a> and discovered <a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2012/02/hula-hoop.html" target="_blank"><b>hula hoop</b></a>. </li>
<li><a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2012/08/wish-this-was-summer-vacation-report.html" target="_blank"><b>Summer was consumed by work</b></a>, so I didn't accomplish any of the items on that point. Still, a lot of the remaining points did get done over the summer, so I still found ways to enjoy what Montreal has to offer.</li>
<li>I cycled and I love it every time. I even did a cycling event with MEETin and inadvertently toured Verdun.</li>
<li>Solo street photography... Once I got my new compact camera, I carried it with me so I could take a lot of impromptu photos as I walked around town. When it warms up again, the camera will go back in my bag.</li>
<li>We signed up to have a box of locally grown organic fruits and vegetables delivered to the office every week, so I had no need to go to the markets every week. We got <b>a lot</b> of vegetables, enjoyed a healthy summer diet, and learned a few new recipes along the way.</li>
<li>From late May through late September, I grabbed my camera and spent an afternoon a month at the Botanical Gardens. I have even more photos of the beautiful flowers and plants. My only regret is that I missed photographing the Fall foliage in October.</li>
<li>For the first time, I participated in <a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2012/06/nature-and-museums.html" target="_blank"><b>Museums Day</b></a> and discovered two fascinating museums on Parc Jean Drapeau. As that day wrapped up, I was already planning what I wanted to do in 2013.</li>
<li>Not at the same level as 2008, but I did explore some new restaurants, mostly in my neighbourhood. Memorable meals include a succulent lamb tajine at <a href="http://www.restaurantautarot.ca/" target="_blank"><b>Au Tarot</b></a>, excellent fish with Jerusalem artichokes at <a href="http://www.baretboeuf.com/" target="_blank"><b>Bar et Boeuf</b></a>, and fabulous game at <a href="http://www.leclubchasseetpeche.com/" target="_blank"><b>Le Club Chasse et Pêche</b></a>.</li>
<li>Slowly my wardrobe is getting updated...</li>
<li>Only missed July and November updates on this blog. Not bad, considering I hadn't regularly updated this since 2008.</li>
</ul>
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My goals for enjoying Montreal in 2013 are pretty much the same as last year. Instead of writing journal posts summarizing what I'm doing, I'll work to make this blog more interesting. I would also like to do more travelling this year.</div>
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Happy 2013 everyone!</div>
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<br />JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-66364620219539840972012-12-24T18:56:00.000-05:002012-12-24T21:51:11.440-05:00And Autumn Passes Into Winter...Autumn is spectacular in Quebec. Fortunately, I was able to get out and enjoy it in between work and attending a conference in Vancouver. Since pictures speak a thousand words, I'll share a few of the photos I took over the past three months.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGrxAecIT5CCQwFI2k-FLcWCgnLeBZuI5x9xwuL55SKPI5rtXgHbSv4XAPCpF39xgXYJmkD9j09gFRLxdgM1VJ9ysN4mbXkEYCwv7-v5yRpgzxi5soEOSLe-d_iegtwObCd2l8DREDcus/s1600/IMG_0274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGrxAecIT5CCQwFI2k-FLcWCgnLeBZuI5x9xwuL55SKPI5rtXgHbSv4XAPCpF39xgXYJmkD9j09gFRLxdgM1VJ9ysN4mbXkEYCwv7-v5yRpgzxi5soEOSLe-d_iegtwObCd2l8DREDcus/s320/IMG_0274.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anyone know what these are?</td></tr>
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I concluded my monthly visits to the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=45.5572222222,-73.5568055556&spn=0.01,0.01&q=45.5572222222,-73.5568055556%20(Montreal%20Botanical%20Garden)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Montreal Botanical Garden">Montreal Botanical Gardens</a> in late September, catching the last of the vegetable gardens and the Dahlias. It was also the start of the Chinese lantern festival and one of the best displays in the past five years. Unfortunately, I forgot my bike light so I could not stay until it was dark.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7zVRQfTnXZgYbuKZ4lBoIIAr7h2si-aesC1E0KbHUFIk1OcLuNx4bTQ77CnGXJfnKBOcszDJT7xw70Mi5Me8oPj_b_tbd61zsUxF9FivjwCqwpO7-y9f3GivkNog5bIy0XZD7hrB8PME/s1600/IMG_0302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7zVRQfTnXZgYbuKZ4lBoIIAr7h2si-aesC1E0KbHUFIk1OcLuNx4bTQ77CnGXJfnKBOcszDJT7xw70Mi5Me8oPj_b_tbd61zsUxF9FivjwCqwpO7-y9f3GivkNog5bIy0XZD7hrB8PME/s320/IMG_0302.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Thanksgiving weekend, we did a roadtrip up to Bois Franc for the annual <a href="http://www.tourismeboisfrancs.com/vacances-forfaits/attraits---activites---services/balade-gourmande-des-bois-francs.aspx" target="_blank">Balade Gourmande</a> during which local farms open their doors and sell their harvest goodies. We visited a cranberry farm, a game fowl (pheasants, quail, guinea fowl, etc.) farm, <a href="http://www.fromageriedupresbytere.com/" target="_blank">Fromagerie du Presbytère</a>, a coffee roaster (for D, of course), a flour mill and concluded with a deer farm.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW63o4cSstW2QgnfhyphenhyphenPevXof71HLBgkLMQUn0nfy3OpNlIszKZVjvP5fQXEQXsAxSP__VF2-jnX8ZWNBuotFOoxywfPZrsB2_KL-vQliEn5uGZ2JE1EjoMj4RXw6Hz3tUK3DUGiytFYpk/s1600/IMG_0321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW63o4cSstW2QgnfhyphenhyphenPevXof71HLBgkLMQUn0nfy3OpNlIszKZVjvP5fQXEQXsAxSP__VF2-jnX8ZWNBuotFOoxywfPZrsB2_KL-vQliEn5uGZ2JE1EjoMj4RXw6Hz3tUK3DUGiytFYpk/s320/IMG_0321.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colourful pheasant at Faisanderie St. Albert</td></tr>
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Right before leaving for Vancouver, I participated in Scott Kelby's Worldwide Photo Walk. I joined a group that walked around Atwater Market early Saturday morning. It was a beautiful day, but it was too early for me to feel particularly creative. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtk5WSHud0aOOcFPTXmVRHab8q19mh5upOHY_Jruk6audp7-O7B4erB1N-KYD8_0eveGtz-nhojjGU_Rt2z3R-4YsK2J-RdK5-zM7w-vCTlSleBtlezEsxRXvvHU79KJPVWkaE6H_HKCU/s1600/DSC_0058.NEF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtk5WSHud0aOOcFPTXmVRHab8q19mh5upOHY_Jruk6audp7-O7B4erB1N-KYD8_0eveGtz-nhojjGU_Rt2z3R-4YsK2J-RdK5-zM7w-vCTlSleBtlezEsxRXvvHU79KJPVWkaE6H_HKCU/s320/DSC_0058.NEF" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Autumn at Atwater Market</td></tr>
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That evening, I participated in my third Light the Night Walk. Our team raised over $2000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and we agreed it was the best walk out of the three years.</div>
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Although it's not Quebec, I thought I may as well share a Fall photo from my week in Vancouver:</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhscrUjT_CX1btkDU-nKKbxyKDN8bwoZLsrP_IsM5ksWGuduDAR208gsiuvZqXu5WN0mfAGy2F8fxTTh4YnVfm-s5q4qr8ggwqP4ozyK9Xtn5RMWSKp6vaCtHAOa6DoR_fTGJ2YbAwhewU/s1600/Vancouver+2012-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhscrUjT_CX1btkDU-nKKbxyKDN8bwoZLsrP_IsM5ksWGuduDAR208gsiuvZqXu5WN0mfAGy2F8fxTTh4YnVfm-s5q4qr8ggwqP4ozyK9Xtn5RMWSKp6vaCtHAOa6DoR_fTGJ2YbAwhewU/s320/Vancouver+2012-15.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of North Vancouver from the Conference Centre</td></tr>
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For the past three years, I have had perfect weather for a photo walk on the first weekend of November. This year... it was freezing cold! However, the light was perfect for shooting reflections in the glass skyscrapers downtown. It was one of the most creative photo walks I've had in a long time.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZLs92FJjn8ku2SQmlFEE4AuNERcO2pE6WmEWiJmZUsTizCDw2Y0aBDtjqSBzazicS1HLMpozpTT5REugrQ0iOMVw7ZtH_ZzU6mP4o-4ryRUx7QmVRG4CumeYB-Js8GF2L1QQm7G0w5g/s1600/IMG_0478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZLs92FJjn8ku2SQmlFEE4AuNERcO2pE6WmEWiJmZUsTizCDw2Y0aBDtjqSBzazicS1HLMpozpTT5REugrQ0iOMVw7ZtH_ZzU6mP4o-4ryRUx7QmVRG4CumeYB-Js8GF2L1QQm7G0w5g/s320/IMG_0478.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Place Ville-Marie</td></tr>
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As the Christmas lights came out, I started to carry my camera in my work backpack so I could snap pictures of the lights as I walked around work and home. The display along St. Catherine in the neighbourhood where I work is particularly festive:</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiRx7c8ftO62cLPxeHGZQoFcrINCdMJ8excvRNm1cTLMUDdRLnhA69n0rwU_uxU2RckupML-bfGZChDBWx5UGGfQTf1Mob67j7IcpxfUOcXI5TxlKRi_f_l1TkKukjCah4UFNpnQ46QHM/s1600/Christmas+Lights+St+Catherine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiRx7c8ftO62cLPxeHGZQoFcrINCdMJ8excvRNm1cTLMUDdRLnhA69n0rwU_uxU2RckupML-bfGZChDBWx5UGGfQTf1Mob67j7IcpxfUOcXI5TxlKRi_f_l1TkKukjCah4UFNpnQ46QHM/s320/Christmas+Lights+St+Catherine.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas Lights leading into The Village</td></tr>
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I hope to get some photos with both lights and snow between Christmas and New Year. </div>
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Happy Holidays, everyone!</div>
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JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-42360187971419774832012-10-01T22:30:00.000-04:002012-10-19T01:19:21.002-04:00Bloggiesta Burrito (Wrap-up)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAyK6mDXg4v3PCRf9lY2GP7QluHLXazcB-W4JA7DxleDTixL7iW4wfw7P3j3JlSLEGTaWbn4kRjc53DBUOTxakJHa8oslXl6Jw_pAGwsJJFcNOj89ii6ZPoxW4z5obSik6gg1qfTLE_w/s1600/blogiesta.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAyK6mDXg4v3PCRf9lY2GP7QluHLXazcB-W4JA7DxleDTixL7iW4wfw7P3j3JlSLEGTaWbn4kRjc53DBUOTxakJHa8oslXl6Jw_pAGwsJJFcNOj89ii6ZPoxW4z5obSik6gg1qfTLE_w/s1600/blogiesta.gif" /></a></div>
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I was SO looking forward to this edition of Bloggiesta. <a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2012/09/ill-be-joining-bloggiesta-party.html" target="_blank">When I first signed up</a>, I had grand plans to do all sorts of writing and blog improvements over the three days. I viewed that weekend as sacred - I would have <b><i>nothing</i></b> else on my agenda, except for blogging. Unfortunately, as the weekend arrived other important and urgent items crept into my weekend plans and my Bloggiesta goals dwindled. Considering how little I have been blogging lately, I am happy that I was able to find a little dedicated time for Bloggiesta.<br />
<br />
So how did I do with the remaining goals?<br />
<ul>
<li><b>WRITE!</b> I haven't written a post for my <a href="http://blog.socketsandlightbulbs.com/" target="_blank">business blog</a> all month. I have a couple of posts in draft and another forming in my head. In addition, I have been asked to guest post on two other websites. I need to spend the weekend writing.</li>
<ul>
<li><i>Yeah, well, that didn't go as planned. I got derailed by some bad news regarding a conference presentation proposal, followed by some Treasurer work for my building taking longer than expected. The guest posts did not get done. I did get a post up on my business blog, which is more than I have done in a month. It's progress, but not as much as I would like.</i></li>
</ul>
<li><b>Clean up my categories</b> on my business blog. </li>
<ul>
<li><i>That got done the first night. WordPress made it really easy to get it done quickly.</i></li>
</ul>
<li><b>Participate in a mini-challenge.</b> In particular, I want to check out the <a href="http://www.booksbiscuitsandtea.co.uk/posts/bloggiesta-mini-challenge-wordpress-vs-blogger/" target="_blank">WordPress v. Blogger</a> mini-challenge hosted by Books, Biscuits and Tea. </li>
<ul>
<li><i>I got this done first thing Saturday morning. I then checked out the other mini-challenges and wound up completing 5 more:</i></li>
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<li><i><a href="http://www.girl-who-reads.com/2012/09/tips-on-thursday-bloggiesta-edition.html" target="_blank">Tips for Setting Up Guidelines and Policies</a> (always important!)</i></li>
<li><i><a href="http://www.geekybloggersbookblog.com/photo-copyright-doing-right-by-the-graphics-we-use-bloggiesta/" target="_blank">Photo Copyright: Bloggers Doing Right By The Graphics We Use!</a> (helpful for finding more sources for free/inexpensive photos and graphics)</i></li>
<li><i><a href="http://thebluestockings.com/2012/09/bloggiesta-mini-challenge-six-techniques-that-will-revitalize-your-old-content/" target="_blank">Six Techniques To Revitalize Your Old Content</a> (some great suggestions)</i></li>
<li><i><a href="http://www.smashattackreads.com/2012/09/bloggiesta-mini-challenge-grade-yourself/" target="_blank">Grade Yourself!</a> (Using a website grader - no surprises, but good to check)</i></li>
<li><i><a href="http://www.joyweesemoll.com/2012/09/27/evernote-a-bloggiesta-fall-2012-mini-challenge/" target="_blank">How To Use Evernote</a> (Got me using it for more than clipping websites, plus I learned about The Secret Weapon!)</i></li>
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<li><b>Improve the visual appearance </b>of both blogs. </li>
<ul>
<li><i>Sadly, didn't get to this at all. Next time... or it's something I'll do over Christmas.</i></li>
</ul>
<li><b>Ramp-up new editors</b> for the <a href="http://agile.vc.pmi.org/Community/Blogs.aspx" target="_blank">PMI-Agile Community of Practice blog</a> I edit and schedule a few more posts.</li>
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<li><i>I got the ramp-up part done just before midnight on Sunday. Whew! Just under the wire.</i></li>
</ul>
<li><b>Added during the weekend: Put "Popular Posts" on my sidebar</b>, thanks to <a href="http://thebluestockings.com/2012/09/bloggiesta-mini-challenge-six-techniques-that-will-revitalize-your-old-content/" target="_blank">6 Techniques To Revitalize Old Content </a>mini-challenge. </li>
<ul>
<li><i>Didn't get to this. However, I did revitalize a couple of really old posts in the new blog post written for my business blog. So, I still put that mini-challenge toward my original goals. I consider that a win.</i></li>
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In the end, it was a productive weekend, even if it wasn't as productive (for blogging) as I had hoped. This was my 3rd Bloggiesta. I still find it fun and helpful to virtually hang out with a cool group of book bloggers and write, improve my blogs or just swap tips and tricks. I would highly recommend the experience to any blogger.</div>
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JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249984124309329123.post-50448166033598075272012-09-28T08:37:00.004-04:002012-09-29T12:50:33.764-04:00It's Bloggiesta Time!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAyK6mDXg4v3PCRf9lY2GP7QluHLXazcB-W4JA7DxleDTixL7iW4wfw7P3j3JlSLEGTaWbn4kRjc53DBUOTxakJHa8oslXl6Jw_pAGwsJJFcNOj89ii6ZPoxW4z5obSik6gg1qfTLE_w/s1600/blogiesta.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAyK6mDXg4v3PCRf9lY2GP7QluHLXazcB-W4JA7DxleDTixL7iW4wfw7P3j3JlSLEGTaWbn4kRjc53DBUOTxakJHa8oslXl6Jw_pAGwsJJFcNOj89ii6ZPoxW4z5obSik6gg1qfTLE_w/s1600/blogiesta.gif" /></a></div>
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Yay! <a href="http://adventuresinmontreal.blogspot.ca/2012/09/ill-be-joining-bloggiesta-party.html" target="_blank">Bloggiesta</a> is finally here! I am SO looking forward to this weekend. I'm posting my to-do list a little early because this weekend is starting to fill with activities not related to blogging. I'm hoping that a written to-do list will keep me focussed on what I really need to get accomplished on my blogs.<br />
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What I hope to get done this weekend:<br />
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<ol>
<li><b>WRITE!</b> I haven't written a post for my <a href="http://blog.socketsandlightbulbs.com/" target="_blank">business blog</a> all month. I have a couple of posts in draft and another forming in my head. In addition, I have been asked to guest post on two other websites. I need to spend the weekend writing.</li>
<li><b>Clean up my categories</b> on my business blog. <b>Done!</b></li>
<li><b>Participate in a mini-challenge.</b> In particular, I want to check out the <a href="http://www.booksbiscuitsandtea.co.uk/posts/bloggiesta-mini-challenge-wordpress-vs-blogger/" target="_blank">WordPress v. Blogger</a> mini-challenge hosted by Books, Biscuits and Tea. It may help me decide what to do with this blog. If I do migrate, I will leave that for the next Bloggiesta. <b>Done! Plus, I'm checking out other mini-challenges.</b></li>
<li><b>Improve the visual appearance </b>of both blogs. They are both looking a little stale to me, so I would like to give them a fresh coat of paint. Creating a more professional looking header is top of my list for my business blog.</li>
<li><b>Ramp-up new editors</b> for the <a href="http://agile.vc.pmi.org/Community/Blogs.aspx" target="_blank">PMI-Agile Community of Practice blog</a> I edit and schedule a few more posts.</li>
<li><b>NEW! Put "Popular Posts" on my sidebar</b>, thanks to <a href="http://thebluestockings.com/2012/09/bloggiesta-mini-challenge-six-techniques-that-will-revitalize-your-old-content/" target="_blank">6 Techniques To Revitalize Old Content </a>mini-challenge. But, I will only get to this if #1 and #5 get done.</li>
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I think that's it for now. We'll see how I did at the end of the weekend.</div>
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JustLizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411104623064170977noreply@blogger.com4