Montreal Trip ~ Via Instagram.

I love cities. Montreal in particular. It's artsy, edgy, and energetic not to mention stunningly beautiful. Stephane grew up there and it's one of my favorite Canadian cities (love Quebec City too!) but this was our first visit together.

We stayed in the heart of the city with my aunt and uncle the first two nights. The most hospitable couple I know, who made us feel at home, toured the city with us and filled our bellies with delicious food and wine. Steph even got to eat an almond paste croissant for breakfast each morning. Heavenly, however, I stuck to the classic Montreal bagel. They can't be beat!

My aunt Brenda is very special to me and we had such a wonderful time shopping around the city, admiring the clothes, shoes, Christmas decor and fashionable people. There is certainly no shortage of those things! Here were are before heading out to dinner one night. I love the other picture of Brenda with the big bear. We couldn't resist picking him up and giving him a squeeze while shopping at one of the Christmas displays.

Of course there were a few stops for some good coffee along the way. Sunday night we had the opportunity to eat at Garde Manger. We both enjoy Montreal chef Chuck Hughes and his show Chuck's Day Off on the Food Network. We had reserved a month in advance at his restaurant in Old Montreal, as it is in high demand, and it was delicious!

One of my favorite parts about the city was the store windows. Everywhere I turned was something new and inspiring. We were lucky that signs of Christmas were starting pop up around the city with shimmering lights, trees and decorations. I wish I had taken more photos of the beautiful old buildings and homes around the city!

Of course I may or may not have spend a bit of time and money at Anthropologie. Every nook and corner houses such unique items that are thoughtfully displayed. I made it out of there with a a few home decor items and a beautiful shirt that I can't wait to wear!

The Museum of Fine Arts was a quick 2 minute walk from my aunt and uncle's so one morning we decided to check it out. They were having an exhibit on Impressionist works and we saw some pieces that we will likely never have the opportunity to see again in our lifetime. Very cool, but to be honest we were both enamored with the collection of Decorative Art and Design, from the Renaissance to today's contemporary design. We spent quite a bit to of time in there. If you should ever have the chance to go, even the museum itself is worth the visit. Absolutely beautiful!

We stopped in one morning to visit with one of Stephane's good friends, who came to PEI to spend some time with us this past summer. It was great to see him and meet his little Maggie. I fell in love with her instantly. I swear she has springs in her legs, she can jump so high. She mostly wanted to be outside running out in the backyard with her ball. So different from Beaufort who can't get inside fast enough to go lay on the couch and sleep:)

And last but not least, we headed home. Packed to the brim with our purchases. Would you believe that we have a dining room table, a sideboard, and a bathroom vanity and sink in there? It is true. Plus, all the other goodies we picked up! Luckily, my knees were only that close to the dash for a few minutes, until we had time to repack for the long haul back to PEI.

It was a great trip and I can't wait to go back again. It was so fun to meet some of Stephane's family!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my American blogger friends and readers!