Last week was Montreal’s PRIDE week and I went out nearly every night to celebrate as an LGBTQ+ ally because I believe there is still a lot of work to be done to support and protect this community. Even my moving to Montreal was partly motivated by the city’s inclusiveness. You can be quite Queer without fear in Montreal and I am absolutely here for that! During PRIDE week, many brands and businesses try to capitalize on the LGBTQ+ dollar, some more authentically and whole-heartedly, while others simply add rainbows to their logos on social media or plaster their storefronts with them in an un ..read more

Sunny days, the King’s coronation, and Mother’s Day were all great reasons to try some celebratory wines with friends. Here are a few great wines that were recently sent to me, one of which I often have on hand, while the rest are all quite new (at least to me).   Bernard-Massard Cuvée de l’Écusson Brut, $21.50 Starting off with this sparkling wine that you may already know, it’s a classic bubbly from Luxembourg. Made with 40% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot blanc, 15% Pinot noir and 10% Riesling, it’s refreshing and fruity, but not too sweet. I often keep this one in the fridge and the Bernard-Ma ..read more

A week ago, I had one of the BEST spa experiences ever at Spa Scandinave Mont-Tremblant and thought you may want to try it too. Especially if you are skiing or hiking in Tremblant, this is the best après-ski (or après-hike) option that I’ve had so far! I was visiting a friend who lives in Saint-Sauveur and I thought we should give the Scandinave Spa in Mont-Tremblant a try since I’d received two gift certificates for a VIP experience (thermal journey and massage) when I attended the guided thermal experience at the Scandinave Spa in Old Montreal last summer. We booked our massages for as ..read more

There is no better time of year to celebrate with a margarita than in February. By now, we’re all pretty fed up with winter and thankfully, February 22nd happens to be National Margarita Day. Last week, I was invited to an event with Grand Marnier at Montreal’s Atwater Cocktail Club. Hosted by Patrick Leger, Master Blender and Xavier Herit, the brand’s ambassador, we were treated to a tasting of some of the more exclusive blends of Grand Marnier, including: the Grand Marnier Louis-Alexandre ($88.75), the Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire ($149.75) and finally, the Grand Marnier Révélation ($6 ..read more

What happens when we spend time in nature a few times a week? It helps reduce stress, lowers our resting heart rate, helps improve our sleep and in general, makes us feel better and more balanced. Recently, Mazda Canada invited me on a relaxing outdoor adventure to help me reconnect with nature with the hope that my experience will inspire you to take some time to get outside and enjoy what nature has to offer. Even when I get close to nature just a few times a week, for less than an hour a day, I notice that my mood improves considerably and my outlook on life is altered in a very positive wa ..read more

This week, Grey Goose treated me and some friends to an amazing afternoon on a boat with a mixologist on board. During our Grey Goose Le Voyage outing, we had the pleasure of trying four cocktails that are perfect for beating the summer heat or simply for sipping to your favourite summer beats. They even hired a DJ who played the best tunes from a boat alongside ours. It was the summum of summer outings that I wish you could all have experienced, but at least you can enhance yours with one of these simple cocktails. Read on for the recipes! Let’s start with my favourite cocktail, the c ..read more

Who doesn’t love Italian food? If you’re interested in trying authentic ingredients from Emilia-Romagna, the home of Prosciutto di Parma, Mortadella, Modena balsamic vinegar and Parmigiano Reggiano, then you should try one (or all!) of these three gourmet meal boxes that were created to help bring the region and its flavours directly to your home. Restaurant Fiorellino created the pizza Emilia with three key ingredients from the region, that you can order for a limited time. Réserve Culinaire, a sous-vide meal box service, created two amazing dishes (Tagliatelle and stuffed chicken Paupiette ..read more

Only my friend, Jenn (Editor of Diary of a Social Gal) could get me to say YES to a project of such epic proportions while I was still nursing a broken leg. Not only did she convince and trust me to dust off my professional photographer’s hat, but she also encouraged me to step both behind and in front of the lens for this assignment. Her idea? To gather some of Montreal’s most fashionable and influential women and their furry companions to celebrate and honour their impeccable style and their pets’ steadfastness throughout the events (or, more accurately, the lack thereof) of the past two and ..read more

Photo from my last visit to Saint-Germain-des-Prés in 2017 I’ve visited Paris five times in the past, but about a week ago, I took a private guided tour of St-Germain-des-Prés without even leaving my bed! How was this possible? Well, Travel Me Paris offers tailor-made tours of Paris with professional Personal Travellers (official, certified tour guides) who livestream the private tour so you can enjoy it from the comfort of your home. It was perfect timing because I had recently broken my leg in a ski accident and since I was confined to the bedroom, the two and a half ho ..read more

Montreal’s Sofitel is celebrating this Valentine’s Day with a special menu for two either in their dining room at the Restaurant Renoir or as part of a romantic staycation package at the hotel. I had the pleasure of receiving the menu at home this weekend to be able to share it with you. Conceived by Executive Chef Olivier Perret and Pastry Chef, Clément Tilly, the menu is full of rich flavours sure to please you and your partner this Valentine’s. Below is a glimpse at this gourmet meal for two ($190 for two, or starting at $390 for the staycation package). Bouchées (small bites) from the me ..read more