Observations - T.O. vs MTL
So I've been here about a week and a half now, and I've got some observations on the differences between Toronto and Montreal.
- Montreal is definitely more the more charming city and feels more "European." I miss stumbling upon tree-lined squares and parks at every corner.
- Toronto feels more laid back and relaxed, not as pretentious or people-pleasing.
- Likewise, Toronto's fashion is more "street" and urban, more hipster and casually stylish, less designer and trend-conscious than Montreal.
- Montreal has a better system at bus stops where everyone lines up and boards the bus on a first-come first-served basis. In Toronto it can be a free-for-all.
- Toronto has defined city neighbourhoods, like Little Italy where I live. Or Kensington Market, or Cabbagetown, or the Annex, or Queen St West. And each neighbourhood has a distinct flair. (Okay, Montreal has its Plateau, and Mile End, and Westmount, etc. but the areas are certainly not as defined or as many.)
- Montreal is far better for purchasing alcohol. It can be found at the liquor store, the grocery store, the dep, the gas station, anywhere.
- Montreal has a giant park (Mont Royal), Toronto has expansive beaches (the Beaches, Woodbine).
I love both cities. Neither is better, both have their own appeal. And I'm so lucky that I get to live in both places! :)
Labels: montreal, toronto
I am going to see Massive Attack in concert! This makes me so happy and excited you have no idea. They haven't been on tour in probably over 15 years, and I started liking them about 10 years ago and have wanted to see them live ever since. Now they're all of a sudden going to be in Toronto and I am SO going to the show!
It was really fate that this happened - I picked up a copy of NOW magazine while I was wandering College St this afternoon and was midlessly leafing through it while I was watching Little House on the Prairie tonight. The words "Massive Attack" caught my eye and when they were followed with dates and a venue I couldn't believe they were playing a show. Then I prepared myself for disappointment because I knew the shows would be sold out. But then realised that tickets didn't go on sale until tomorrow! I knew I HAD to get tickets, Sso then I did some sneaky research online and got a presale code and bought tickets tonight! WOOT! Yes, so stoked.
And another highlight of this magazine is my horoscope:
Scorpio: How would you make love - not have sex, but make love - with your sandwich, with the music you listen to, with a vase of flowers, with the familiar strangers sitting in the cafe, with everything? Your expertise in this art is now at peak.Fan-freaking-tastic.
Labels: concerts
I can see the CN Tower from my bedroom window.
And so I've arrived. Here I am living in Toronto. Since my train rolled into Union Station on Sunday afternoon, I've been having a lot of "WTF, I actually live in Toronto now?!" moments, but today it's sunk in a bit more and life feels more or less normal. Yeah, more or less. Minus a lot of things I miss from Montreal, but suffice it to say that I've learned that building a life in a new city takes a while! Everything will not be perfect right away! And so, I'm just enjoying this time exploring my new city and being on my own.
My first two days being here have been filled with a lot of errands and unpacking and settling down. I also had a job interview yesterday, which I think went really well - I left with the same feeling you have after you know you just aced a test, so I think that's a good sign! The weather has been undeniably gorgeous and sunny and it's been making me so happy. Yesterday I drank my morning coffee outside on a bench in the sunshine and the sun actually felt
warm against my body. Spring, spring, I can't wait to greet you! Spring is a time of change and new beginnings. It's funny how I always seem to make life changing decisions around springtime.
I'm loving that my apartment is situated right in Little Italy. There are so many adorable shops and restaurants lining College St. And the fact that the street car stops right outside my apartment is pretty fan-freaking-tastic too. I can also walk to the subway in about 10 minutes and that will take me anywhere! The whole roommate situation is taking a bit of getting used to. I'm so used to living on my own, or living with a boyfriend. I've never lived with a girl roommate before, and I'm feeling a strange combination of releasing control over my living space and acting on my best behaviour.
Oh! And I can't end my blog post without talking about my amazing sendoff in Montreal! At work on Friday, there was a "surprise" screening goodbye party in the afternoon, and we ate cake and I got a card, and it was very lovely. I felt appreciated and happy and shed a tear or two upon saying goodbye. After work, a bunch of us went out for what turned into an epic night - first it was 2 games of laser tag, during which I re-confirmed that I suck so bad but it's
so much fun! We then headed off to the pub to drink a couple beers (and tequila shots - oops) and watch the Canada Olympic hockey game. From there, I was feeling pretty jazzed and enthusiastically suggested we should go to a strip club! Took a little convincing but I lead the way, and off to the strip club we went! Then the night took a turn into titties, buckets of beers, and... lapdances? Yes, I had my first lapdance, and it was quite the uh, experience. Haha! Suffice it to say, that night, and the people I spent it with, was amazing.
And as a last tribute to Montreal, I love love love this
"Montreal in 2 Minutes" video. My old neighbourhood, the Plateau, is shown between 1:37 and 1:58. I think it perfectly captures how I feel about that amazing city. Watch and love it with me.
Labels: friends, montreal, moving, nightlife, toronto
Moooooving
This is my apartment right now. And this is me looking way more happy than I am to be packing up all this shit. Ugh. But I'm feeling pretty organized and on top of everything. All my furniture is sold and is being picked up on Saturday, and I just have to cram the rest of my things into one more suitcase... that will be the challenge!
I'm having a goodbye party tomorrow night and we're going to play Laser Tag! How COOL is that?! I am way, way beyond excited. There's gonna be about 15 of us, so it'll be wicked. Dun dun dun I haven't played laser tag since I was like 13.
Last day of work tomorrow. It feels really strange. Saturday will be a busy day full of wrapping up loose ends, packing, cleaning, having people pick up furniture, visiting friends and saying goodbye, and then leaving my apartment. I'm staying overnight at Amber's house, and then on Sunday morning it's catching the early train to Tdot! Yowsa. It's all crept up so fast.
Labels: moving, photos
Well, my Montreal days are ticking to a close - 5 days left. It seems bizarre that in a week, I won't be waking up in this apartment, won't be hopping on my bus to go to work every day. I've become very settled here, settled into routine - although never fully settled because I knew living in Montreal was only ever temporary.
I've been training my replacement at work, and it's exhausting. The first day I felt like I just talked non-stop for 9 hours, and now I feel like she knows everything and me being at work is rendered useless. For the last half of today, the minutes ticked by oh so slowly. I've done the pass-off and now I just want to get out of there!
I hate goodbyes so much. I'm so terrible at them. It's just tough. I've met some great people here - the people I work with, my friends. And so I'm kind of dreading all of the goodbyes I'll have to face in the next few days...
But, such is life. They'll only be temporary goodbyes. And you've got to say goodbye to say hello, right?
Labels: montreal, moving, work
This right here is a perfect Sunday morning. The sun is streaming through my windows, melting the dusting of snow outside, and landing in a perfect square on my duvet. I woke to no alarm, except for the morning light. Now I'm sipping a breakfast protein shake (hmm, that doesn't sound quite so romantic) and lazily cruising the world wide web.
What I did wake up to this morning was the sound of people having sex through the walls of my apartment. I'm always unsure how I'm supposed to feel when I hear people having sex. Amusement? Irritation? Turned on? I feel a mix of these three. And it makes me wonder about all the people who have heard me having sex. Weird.
I'm savoring this moment in bed because today is going to be a jumble of packing, cleaning, packing, and laundrying. I'm leaving Montreal in exactly a week today. So much to be done. I feel a bit melancholy, I wish I never had to leave anything behind. I love this city, this apartment, these people. But guaranteed, I will be back to visit definitely this summer and probably before. There is no period at the end of this sentence, it's more of an ellipses... (Yes I totally stole that line from
Garden State!)
Labels: montreal, moving
Life is all about timing. For 3-4 years now I've wanted to move to Toronto, and for various reasons, the timing has never been right. It's funny how things have to happen in your life in order to let other things happen. (Wow, that's a vague thought, isn't it?) And now, it seems like all my stars are aligning. I just can't express enough how happy I am.
I updated the layout. I wanted something that expressed moving, freedom, drifting, transience. It's simple, but I like it. :)
Oh, and other random thought: job hunters do actually Google you. I spent the better part of my day today looking at resumes for filling my position, and my boss and I were Googling and Facebooking the candidates names to see what they looked like. So, here's a tip: make sure you have a job-hunter-appropriate Facebook profile picture. Just sayin'.
Labels: thoughts, website
Oh
I'm a wandering soul
I'm still walking the line that leads me home
Alone
All I know
I still got mountains to climb
On my own
On my own
Switchfoot - "Enough to let me go"Labels: moving
endings and new beginnings
In 2 weeks I’m leaving Montreal. I had originally intended that my next move would be going back home to BC and then settling down in Vancouver after a month or two. But I’m not sure I’m quite ready to do that. I don’t know if I’m ready for that familiarity, for my crazy journey to end. I still feel like I have things left to discover, excitement to be had, new experiences in a new city waiting for me.
I know I can still have crazy adventures in BC, and that I’ll have to start my life over there again as well, but I have a mental block that worries me that everything might be
too similar to before, that I’ll feel this driving need to move away again. It seems like once I go back to BC, the rest of my life is starting, and it’s time to settle down and get serious about my life and what I want to be doing. And I’m not ready to settle down just yet.
I don’t know, it’s hard to describe, but ever since I decided on the idea of moving back to BC at the end of February, I’ve been feeling a bit anxious about going back. Not unhappy in the fact that I don’t ever want to live there again, or see my family or friends (because I do, so, so much) - but dread in the way that I’m not quite ready to be there just yet. I’ve been talking to a lot of people over here about it, people that know me well, and people who don’t know me that well, and I know that I will end up there,
just not yet.
So instead of flying back home at the end of February, I’ve decided to go live in Toronto for a little while. Maybe I just want to experience living in all 3 of Canada’s big cities! But I’ve always felt pulled to Toronto for a variety of reasons - the buzz of a big city, the cute neighbourhoods, the shopping, the opportunities, the someone I can’t seem to forget who lives there. I think I owe it to myself to at least try living there. Or at the very least take a little vacation breather there.
I spent last weekend in Toronto, staying in a hostel while I went to view a number of different apartments to find a good living situation. I found a cute apartment in Little Italy, where I’ll be temporarily subletting the bedroom of a girl while she goes traveling, and living with her roommate, who is also a 24-year old young professional, like me. I think living alone was a mistake I made when I moved to Montreal and hardly knew anyone. Living with a roommate is better because you automatically get to know someone, (hopefully) make a friend, and are more easily introduced to other people. The apartment itself is in a super cute area, with lots of shops and little cafes, and the street car runs right outside the apartment 24-hours.
Anyway, I have no expectations about what will happen in Toronto. I had a lot of expectations about Montreal and that resulted in me being rather unhappy the first month or two I was here. This time, I’m seeing this as just an adventure for fun - because
why not? Life is about living, and that means I’m going to jump on this whim and not look ahead and not look back, just be, and just enjoy.
So, there it is. I’m feeling really happy and good about this next adventure. Although, I do feel a lot of craziness is running through my veins too!! I can’t really believe this is happening - how did I get this adventuresome and brave all of a sudden? I thought I was that shy girl who never wanted to take risks? I’m beginning to believe that she’s gone and that the real me is a go-getter and a risk-taker. It’s weird.
Labels: life, thoughts
The best convincing me to stay in Montreal:
"If I make you fall in love with me, would you stay?"
- Lyndsey's 19 year old brotherHahaha.
It’s funny how oftentimes you are unappreciated until you leave or express interest in leaving somewhere or something or someone... I’m finally, finally feeling like I’m being appreciated at work and it’s all because I gave my notice on Monday to say that I was leaving. In this past week, I’ve never had so much rallying for me to stay – from my immediate boss, from co-workers, from my high-up boss... It’s been unbelievable the lengths and negotiations everyone is going to try and get me to stick around. While I’m not going to stay, it’s been really nice to know that I’m finally appreciated and they consider me a really good fit to the company.
So. What to say. My emotions are zinging this way and that and it seems like I should be anxious or nervous about this next chapter in my life, but instead I just feel calm. I feel happy. Although, to be fair, I do feel an immense sadness about leaving Montreal and the amazing people I’ve met here, and I do have a tiny tiny voice in the back of my head saying that I should be staying for one more summer... But. Choices have been made.
Well, choices have mostly been made. I’m not sure I’m ready to settle down and start a real life back in BC just quite yet... More on that later after plans are more finalized. I feel like I have a little bit of crazy in my blood, I’m feeling a little invincible or something right now. Living in Montreal and creating a fantastic life here, it seems like I can do this anywhere. I can pick up and live in any city.
It’s a great feeling. Maybe that’s why I don’t feel anxious. I just feel content. Now let’s go find some more happiness.
Labels: thoughts
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes are happening! Don't really want to talk about that right this second though, so let's talk about NYC!
The drive is long. About 8 hours with little stops, because it's tough to bomb it right through. Saw "Westside Story" on Friday night - by myself, because no one else wanted to pay to see it - and it was fantastic. I love Broadway shows so much. They make me so happy and giddy! We also went to the MOMA that night and wandered through the dazzling lights of Times Square.
Saturday was a crazy in-your-face day. We did an NBC studio tour, wandered Central Park, saw the progress at Ground Zero, I bought a fake Tiffany's necklace and bracelet on Canal St in Chinatown, took the subway to SoHo and ate a cupcake from the delicious Magnolia Bakery. We also gulped down numerous teas and coffees in between, to try and keep our little hands and bodies warm from the insane cold! And mixed in was a little bit of shopping and drinks out that night!
Sunday was pretty much wake up, shop a little (hello Victoria's Secret!!), and get back in the car to drive back to Mtl! Lots of driving for one full day in NYC - but worth it!
I love NYC. I don't know how much clearer I can make it. That city is amazing. I never tire of it, no matter how many times I go, and I think I've now been about 6 times. This is a little something I wrote about how I feel about the city:
You just can't help but feel alive here. All the bustling people, all the shops, all the noise. All your senses are turned on full blast. And I love that sensory overload. I like the evasive glances from other solitary people on the street. Wonder what their story is, wondering what they're thinking. I love that you can be alone in this city and yet not feel alone or lonely at all.
Labels: photos, travel
I <3 NYC
I promise to write a real post tomorrow night with news and photos from my trip to NYC this past weekend. Tonight turned into a busy evening - stayed late at work, had to get groceries, then went onto the set of the horror film Nick is producing and took some photos. And now I really need to go to bed! Bonne nuit lovelies.
Labels: photos
I went out to see a play put on by an independent theatre company last night, and it was surprisingly good. I think the key to watching independent theatre is to have no expectations because you never really know what is going to be thrown at you - could be good, could be terrible. But, I was pleasantly surprised last night!
Something I've noticed lately... In spite of how well I think I know myself and how much thinking I do about life and who I am and how things are, it amazes me when people will tell me something about myself that I had never before even considered. And once I get over my astonishment or want to brush their revelation off, they turn out to be right about something I thought I had all the answers for. And it becomes clear that that was the truth all along.
And this makes me realise that I don't have everything sorted out in my life, I don't have all the answers... but I don't
want to have everything figured out. I want to constantly think and seek answers and seek knowledge and know that I don't know. I believe Socrates said something along the lines of "the unexamined life is a life not worth living."
Labels: thoughts
I spent the weekend up in Mont-Tremblant, which is a ski hill a lot like Whistler, for all you BC-ers. We stayed in a cottage peering over a frozen lake in a winter wonderland, wondered Tremblant village in the afternoon, and came back for cozy hot chocolates and movies by the fire in the evening. It was snowy and charming and magical. (And freezing cold!) I even had a real Quebec winter experience and ate maple syrup on snow! Yum. Perfect weekend.
This is my favourite photo of myself from the weekend... I love feeling the sun warming my face in winter... and look at that breathtakingly gorgeous view.
Labels: travel
