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An Urban Adventure (& Bra Shopping) in Montreal
June 8, 2012
Our one day a week hiking practice is taking on a different groove while we live in the city this month.
Next week we will meet my online friend Catherine and her family for a hike in the woods near their home. I can't wait to meet her, she's been a real encouragement to me over the past few months as their family's adventures mirror, in some aspects, our own experience.
Last weekend though we did an urban hike.
Montréal is full of green spaces. Every day the kids and I have spent time in one of the many small parks. Playgrounds, splash parks, wide open green space and tall trees - the city is full of these treasures.
Last weekend we "hiked" one of Montréal's best known and well frequented treasures (no, not the Metro, though we love this form of public transportation) - Mont Royal.
After our hike up, around and down the "mountain" we walked downtown to do some shopping (and car gawking). Our younger two love fancy cars and keep a running tally of how many they've seen.
I pretty much hate shopping and will avoid it until absolutely necessary. Which means some of my clothes get very worn and sparse in number (like owning only 2 t-shirts) before I force myself to venture into stores to replace them. Damien does most of my clothes shopping for me online. But sometimes you gotta just bite the bullet and venture into a real store and actually try stuff on.
I have been long overdue for a good sports bra. Truth be told - I avoid bras like I avoid shopping, so imagine how difficult it is to go bra shopping. I found a great bra at lululemon, while my family waited patiently (and counted fancy cars).
A vigorous hike, a bit of shopping (a nice new bra so I can join civilized society), a ride on the Metro - all in day's adventure.
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Kika on June 8, 2012, 3:27 p.m.
That is my kind of hiking (the urban kind, I mean)! I don't hate shopping as much as you but tend to put off things like bra shopping too :) Recently my girls and I went alone to the nearest city and I spent AN HOUR in Victoria's Secret trying on styles. Yikes. My husband was SOOOOO happy he avoided that trip.
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AnonymousSheila on June 8, 2012, 3:52 p.m.
I have to comment as I chuckle to myself.....I thought you were bra shopping for Celine....with the whole family along....and I was a little embarrassed for her. ;)
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renee on June 8, 2012, 5:22 p.m.
Oh my goodness! I wouldn't talk publicly about bra shopping for Céline. That would embarrass her. Me? I'm not so easily embarrassed.
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anushka on June 8, 2012, 7:24 p.m.
i hate shopping too and just did some of my own this morning. it really helps to try stuff on after having recently had a baby... after the tortured time spent under fluorescent lights and trying several things on at the mall (barf) this morning, i am happy to have two new fold over skirts and two tanks. i wish they'd come from lulu lemon! i'd probably have them for the rest of my life. i do have a sports bra and hoodie from there. great stuff. montreal looks beautiful... my boy loves cars too. it's been fun to follow you for a few weeks now - came over from shannon.
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renee on June 8, 2012, 9:53 p.m.
Which Shannon? (and welcome by the way).
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Carol in NM on June 9, 2012, 1:28 a.m.
I, too, despise bras and shopping for them. I'm going to pry here, as I've never shopped at Lulu Lemon, and ask which "model" of sports bra you purchased for daily use. I'm in the market for new bras this summer and would appreciate the recommendation, if you don't mind. And I did see the other aspects of this post...lovely, as always! :-) Thanks!
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renee on June 9, 2012, 2:21 a.m.
Carol, I don't mind you asking. I wouldn't have mentioned bra buying if I wasn't comfortable talking about it. Firstly, I am very small in the bra department. I don't need any support. So I wasn't looking for that. What I need is basic coverage. I also wanted a style I could wear without a shirt on the trail. I wouldn't walk down a city street in just a bra but I'll do it on 30F+ humid day on the trail where I'm likely to encounter few humans. I looked for the model on lululemon and can't find it. But if you go to lululemon now and look at this page, the woman at the top of the page with the blue strapped bra - that's the one I bought. I wish I had all the selection that was on the website. I like the looks of this one also.
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Carol in NM on June 9, 2012, 5:03 a.m.
Thanks, Renee! I really appreciate the reply. Now, time to shop. A Lulu Lemon is opening up here soon. I will definitely check them out. Thank you again.
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Melissa on June 9, 2012, 2:38 a.m.
Now that you've tried out their fit, you can always order the bras online..free shipping to us Canucks too.
I'm so glad to see you're enjoying your time in Montreal, I remembr the posts about adjusting to QC and this is a lovely flip side.
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Catherine Forest on June 9, 2012, 3:17 a.m.
We can't wait to mee you too! And I also am long overdue for a sport bra... !
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Charity Johnson on June 9, 2012, 1:45 p.m.
You make me smile. I appreciate hearing you talk about bra shopping and Ugh, I don't think I have ever met a woman who actually enjoys it! I also love the photos of the city. Maybe we will make it for a visit.
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MOM Tougas on June 9, 2012, 8:49 p.m.
I love fancy cars too!Yesterday I went for my very first ride in a silver, racing, Porche 911! It was awesome! My friend and I went for a 'spin' to Elk Island National Park. We saw 2 gueese families (with babies) lounging on the shoulder of the road, a whitetail deer, and a buffalo grazing on the roadside, on our little excursion. We stopped at a little restaurant called the Parkview Restaurant for a delicious bowl of Wor Wonton Soup and some very fine coffee, halfway through the ride.
Edmonton has some very fine parks in the city. Edmonton is the city with the most greenspace in all of North America, I am told. Last week we hiked Snow Valley Ski Resort (only 10 minutes from where we live in the city), and saw a young moose grazing.
Tomorrow we are hiking Mill Creek Ravine (only 15 minutes from where we live, with a Meetup Group. We usually stop at the famous Wild Earth Bakery http://www.wildearthbakery.com/who_we_are halfway through the hike. Check out the Meetup Groups in Montreal to make new friends and discover this beautiful city... http://www.meetup.com/cities/ca/qc/montreal/
MOM Tougas
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Nancy Wang on June 8, 2012, 1:43 p.m.
Hi Renee, It has been so nice to follow your adventures in Montreal. We are here right now, visiting the city for our first time. I am planning to visit the Mont Royal today, in fact. I wish we could live here for a month like your family is doing! We leave tomorrow to visit Quebec City for a couple of days, and then we'll be back in Montreal until we leave on Tuesday to go home.